Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
04:29
An Approach to Constructing Multispecies Biofilm Communities from Rhizosphere Soil
Published on: May 24, 2024
Protists with different feeding modes change biofilm morphology
Anne Böhme1, Ute Risse-Buhl, Kirsten Küsel
1Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
FEMS Microbiology Ecology
|June 13, 2009
Summary
Different microbes significantly alter bacterial biofilm structure. Filter feeders like Dexiostoma campylum promote microcolony growth, while raptorial feeders Vannella sp. and Chilodonella uncinata reduce biofilm volume and increase porosity.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Ecology
- Biofilm Science
Background:
- Bacterial biofilms are complex microbial communities.
- Interactions between protists and bacteria influence biofilm structure and function.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for controlling biofilm formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different feeding strategies of protists on the morphology of multispecies bacterial biofilms.
- To compare the effects of filter feeders, raptorial feeders, and direct interception feeders on biofilm architecture.
Main Methods:
- Experiments were conducted in small flow cells using multispecies bacterial biofilms.
- The study involved introducing five types of protists: Dexiostoma campylum (filter feeder), Vannella sp. and Chilodonella uncinata (raptorial feeders), Spumella sp., and Neobodo sp. (direct interception feeders).
- Biofilm morphology, including volume, porosity, microcolony formation, and layer thickness, was analyzed.
Main Results:
- Dexiostoma campylum increased microcolony size without altering biofilm volume or porosity.
- Vannella sp. reduced microcolony size and biofilm thickness.
- Chilodonella uncinata and Spumella sp. significantly decreased biofilm volume (2.5-6.3 times lower) and increased porosity (1.5-3.7 times higher) and surface area to volume ratio (1.2-1.8 times higher).
Conclusions:
- Protist feeding strategies differentially impact bacterial biofilm morphology.
- Raptorial feeders can significantly reduce biofilm biomass and enhance nutrient/gas exchange.
- These findings highlight the ecological role of protists in shaping microbial communities and biofilm properties.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Biofilms
Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms encased in a self-produced extracellular polysaccharide matrix attached to surfaces. These microbial consortia can include single or multiple species, providing enhanced survival benefits by forming organized, multilayered structures.The formation of biofilms occurs through four key stages: attachment, colonization, development, and dispersal.During attachment, free-swimming planktonic cells adhere to a surface, often facilitated by...
01:27Overview of Protists
Protists are diverse eukaryotic microorganisms that lack the specialized tissues of plants and animals and the chitinous cell walls of fungi. Their early divergence within Eukarya resulted in structural, functional, and ecological diversity. They are classified into supergroups such as Archaeplastida, Excavata, Amoebozoa, Rhizaria, Alveolata, and Stramenopiles, determined through genetic analysis and structural similarities.Structural and Functional AdaptationsProtists have various adaptations...
01:27Diversity of Protists III
Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
01:27Diversity of Protists II
Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
01:15Diversity of Protists I
Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
01:28Microbial Interactions: Predation
Microbial predation refers to the process by which one microorganism kills and consumes another to obtain nutrients and energy. It encompasses both bacterial and protozoan predators. This interaction plays a crucial role in shaping microbial communities and regulating nutrient cycling.Bacterial Predators: Epibiotic vs. EndobioticBacterial predators are classified based on their mode of attack as either epibiotic or endobiotic. Epibiotic predators, such as Vampirococcus, attach to the surface of...