Effect of Quorum Sensing Molecules on the Quality of Bacterial Nanocellulose Materials

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) biofilms, produced by various bacterial species, such as Gluconacetobacter xylinus, represent a highly promising multifunctional material characterized by distinctive physiochemical properties. These biofilms have demonstrated remarkable versatility as nano biomaterials, finding extensive applications across medical, defense, electronics, optics, and food industries. In contrast to plant cellulose, BNC biofilms exhibit numerous advantages, including elevated purity and crystallinity, expansive surface area, robustness, and excellent biocompatibility, making them exceptional multifunctional materials. However, their production with consistent morphological properties and their transformation into practical forms present challenges. This difficulty often arises from the heterogeneity in cell density, which is influenced by the presence of N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) serving as quorum sensing signaling molecules during the biosynthesis of BNC biofilms. In this study, we employed surface characterization methodologies including scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy to characterize BNC biofilms derived from growth media supplemented with varying concentrations of distinct N-acyl-homoserine lactone signaling molecules. The data obtained through these analytical techniques elucidated that the morphological properties of the BNC biofilms were influenced by the specific AHLs, signaling molecules, introduced into the growth media. These findings lay the groundwork for future exploration of leveraging synthetic biology and biomimetic methods for tailoring BNC with predetermined morphological properties.