Using surface plasmon resonance imaging to study bacterial biofilms.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biophysics
• Surface Science

Background:

• Biofilms, multicellular bacterial communities, are crucial for pathogen survival and cause industrial complications.
• Monitoring biofilm formation and removal is critical for managing infections and industrial processes.
• Existing methods often lack the resolution or real-time capabilities needed for dynamic biofilm studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi) as a novel, label-free technique for real-time bacterial biofilm analysis.
• To demonstrate the application of SPRi for visualizing bacterial cell dynamics within biofilms.
• To showcase SPRi's capability in monitoring biofilm removal processes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi) for label-free, high-resolution imaging of bacterial biofilms.
• Applied SPRi to study Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in real-time.
• Quantitatively assessed biofilm dynamics, including cell movement, attachment, and formation over large surface areas (up to 1 cm²).

Main Results:

• SPRi successfully visualized bacterial cell movement, attachment, and biofilm formation in real-time without labels.
• This study presents the first visualization of biofilm removal using SPRi.
• Observed biofilm detachment occurring as a wave propagating along the fluid flow direction.

Conclusions:

• SPRi is a powerful, emerging technique for label-free, real-time study of bacterial physiology and biofilm dynamics.
• SPRi offers significant implications for monitoring biofouling and the regeneration of fluidic systems.
• The ability to visualize biofilm removal provides new insights into managing biofilm-related challenges.