Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Biofilms01:29

Biofilms

2.1K
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...
2.1K
Bacterial Signaling01:30

Bacterial Signaling

43.7K
Bacterial signaling can occur within bacteria (intracellular) or between bacteria (intercellular). At times, a group of bacteria behaves like a community. To achieve this, they engage in quorum sensing, the perception of higher cell density that causes changes in gene expression. Quorum sensing involves both extracellular and intracellular signaling. The signaling cascade starts with a molecule called an autoinducer (AI). Individual bacteria produce AIs that move out of the bacterial cell...
43.7K
Microbial Mats01:25

Microbial Mats

61
Microbial communities forming biofilms and mats represent complex, spatially structured ecosystems where metabolic processes are stratified according to light, oxygen, and nutrient gradients. Biofilms are initial colonization stages, only a few millimeters thick, while mature microbial mats can reach centimeter-scale thickness and display intricate vertical organization. Their structural and functional heterogeneity allows microorganisms to occupy distinct ecological niches within a few...
61

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Group detection of phthalates from mulches: Two competitive aptamer-based electrochemical approaches.

Talanta·2026
Same author

Influence of sound vibrations on plant holobionts: physiological pathways linking root function and rhizospheric microbial interactions.

Plant signaling & behavior·2026
Same author

Clinical Sampling Challenges in Diagnosing Severe Respiratory Viral Infections.

Chest·2026
Same author

The FORGENIUS Genomic Resources: New Genotyping Tools and Genomic Data for 23 Forest Tree Species and Their Genetic Conservation Units.

Molecular ecology resources·2026
Same author

Genomic and Phenotypic Bases of Salt Tolerance in Sinorhizobium meliloti: Candidate Traits for Bioinoculant Development Addressing Saline Soils.

Microbial biotechnology·2026
Same author

Selected-Wavelength Illumination for Enhanced Hydrogen and Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate Production from Second Cheese Whey by <i>Rhodopseudomonas palustris</i>.

Microorganisms·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms
08:52

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Published on: June 1, 2018

9.0K

Electrical spiking in bacterial biofilms.

Elisa Masi1, Marzena Ciszak2, Luisa Santopolo1

  • 1DISPAA-Department of Agrifood and Environmental Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|November 14, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Electrical signals drive bacterial biofilm formation. Researchers monitored electrical activity in biofilm-forming and non-biofilm-forming strains, finding a direct correlation between electrical signaling intensity and biofilm development.

Keywords:
bacteriabiofilmelectrical spikingmulti-electrode arraysociobiology

More Related Videos

Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors
10:17

Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors

Published on: October 9, 2016

16.5K
Generation of Greater Bacterial Biofilm Biomass using PCR-Plate Deep Well Microplate Devices
10:57

Generation of Greater Bacterial Biofilm Biomass using PCR-Plate Deep Well Microplate Devices

Published on: April 22, 2022

9.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms
08:52

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Published on: June 1, 2018

9.0K
Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors
10:17

Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors

Published on: October 9, 2016

16.5K
Generation of Greater Bacterial Biofilm Biomass using PCR-Plate Deep Well Microplate Devices
10:57

Generation of Greater Bacterial Biofilm Biomass using PCR-Plate Deep Well Microplate Devices

Published on: April 22, 2022

9.6K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Physiology
  • Bioelectromagnetics

Background:

  • Biofilms represent the predominant mode of bacterial life in nature.
  • Bacteria within biofilms exhibit coordinated behaviors for specialized functions.
  • The role of electrical signaling in bacterial social behavior (sociobiology) remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate electrical signaling as a potential driver of biofilm sociobiology.
  • To analyze the spatio-temporal electrical activity during biofilm formation in different bacterial strains.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a multi-electrode array system for high spatio-temporal resolution monitoring.
  • Recorded and analyzed action potential rates in two biofilm-forming bacterial strains and one non-biofilm-forming strain.
  • Correlated electrical activity patterns with the stages of biofilm development.

Main Results:

  • Biofilm-forming strains exhibited a distinct peak in action potential rates during maximum biofilm development, characterized by a long tail.
  • This specific electrical activity pattern was absent in the non-biofilm-forming strain.
  • Electrical activity intensity correlated with biofilm formation, not merely bacterial density.

Conclusions:

  • Electrical signaling plays a significant role in the sociobiology of bacterial biofilms.
  • Spatio-temporal electrical activity analysis offers a novel approach to understanding emergent collective microbial behavior.
  • This research opens new avenues for studying biofilm dynamics and bacterial communication.