Use of the speckle imaging sub-pixel correlation analysis in revealing a mechanism of microbial colony growth

The microbial colony growth is driven by the activity of the cells located on the edges of the colony. However, this process is not visible unless specific staining or cross-sectioning of the colony is done. Speckle imaging technology is a non-invasive method that allows visualization of the zones of increased microbial activity within the colony. In this study, the laser speckle imaging technique was used to record the growth of the microbial colonies. This method was tested on three different microorganisms: Vibrio natriegens, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that the speckle analysis system is not only able to record the growth of the microbial colony but also to visualize the microbial growth activity in different parts of the colony. The developed speckle imaging technique visualizes the zone of "the highest microbial activity" migrating from the center to the periphery of the colony. The results confirm the accuracy of the previous models of colony growth and provide algorithms for analysis of microbial activity within the colony.