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Updated: Apr 25, 2026
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Microfluidic Tools for Probing Fungal-Microbial Interactions at the Cellular Level
Published on: June 23, 2022
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Probing bacterial-fungal interactions at the single cell level
Claire E Stanley1, Martina Stöckli, Dirk van Swaay
1Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland. andrew.demello@chem.ethz.ch.
Summary
This study used microfluidic devices to observe fungal-bacterial interactions. Novel insights into Bacillus subtilis
Area of Science:
- Microbiology and Mycology
- Microbial Ecology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Fungal-prokaryote interactions are ecologically significant, with many biomolecules having medicinal and biotechnological uses.
- Studying these interactions at a cellular level presents significant technical challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dynamic cellular interactions between the fungus Coprinopsis cinerea and the bacterium Bacillus subtilis.
- To explore the potential of microfluidic devices for studying fungal-bacterial systems.
Main Methods:
- Utilized novel microfluidic devices for high-resolution microscopic observation.
- Conducted long-term, time-lapse experiments to capture dynamic interactions.
- Monitored bacterial attachment and fungicidal activity at the cellular level.
Main Results:
- Observed polar attachment of Bacillus subtilis to a subset of Coprinopsis cinerea hyphae, indicating differential hyphal competence.
- Revealed evidence of hyphal differentiation within the fungal mycelium.
- Documented a novel mode of action for Bacillus subtilis' fungicidal activity against fungal hyphae.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic devices offer a powerful platform for detailed cellular-level studies of fungal-bacterial interactions.
- Bacillus subtilis exhibits specific attachment patterns and a novel fungicidal mechanism against Coprinopsis cinerea.
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