Imaging Bacterial Colonies and Phage-Bacterium Interaction at Sub-Nanometer Resolution Using Helium-Ion Microscopy
Miika Leppänen1,2, Lotta-Riina Sundberg2, Elina Laanto2
1Nanoscience Center, Department of Physics, University of Jyvaskyla, P. O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
Advanced Biosystems
|July 11, 2020
Summary
Helium ion microscopy (HIM) offers a novel method for imaging bacterial colonies and virus-bacteria interactions directly on agar plates. This advanced technique provides high-resolution, subsurface views, enhancing microbial interaction studies.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Microbial Interactions
- Microscopy
Background:
- Traditional electron microscopy methods limit in situ imaging of microbial interactions.
- Studying interactions between bacteria and bacteriophages (phages) requires advanced imaging techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and demonstrate Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM) for in situ imaging of bacterial colonies and phage-bacterium interactions on agar plates.
- To explore the capabilities of HIM, including subsurface imaging and in situ sectioning, for microbial studies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM) for imaging bacterial colonies and phage-bacterium interactions on agar cultures.
- Employed helium and neon ion milling for subsurface imaging and in situ cross-sectioning of bacterial colonies and individual bacteria.
Main Results:
- Presented the first HIM images of bacterial colonies and phage-bacterium interactions at various infection stages.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of ion milling for revealing subsurface structures of bacterial colonies and intracellular structures of bacteria.
Conclusions:
- HIM provides significant advantages over traditional methods, including sub-nanometer resolution and enhanced surface sensitivity.
- HIM is a powerful tool for advancing microbial imaging, particularly for studying virus-cell interactions in their native environment.
