engleski

Bacterial monolayers at model fluid interface

Recent studies of oil droplets and microbial cell adhesion at chemically inert and atomically smooth expanding mercury drop electrode/seawater interface seem to offer a way of looking at initial steps in biofilm formation. Fast dropping mercury electrode among other surface attributes, such as hydrophobicity and variable surface charge, mimics interfacial dynamics of natural fluid interfaces. Microinstabilities and increased transport by conventive streaming and turbulence that have been extensively studied at mercury electrodes are common phenomena to marine fluid interfaces governing processes such as convective transport, accumulation and surface coagulation of bacteria. Here we shall develop a model for biofilm formation using dextrans or marine bacteria that differ in their tendency to aggregate in seawater Although we use an artificial surface, expanding mercury sphere, the results on initial monolayer formation should be easily extended to other inert surfaces and perhaps to reactive surfaces in nature. We have identified prevailing hydrophobic over electrostatic interactions in the initial monolayer formation by adhesion of aggregated cells. Freshly exposed surfaces such as air bubbles, and air/water interface in general, as well as oil droplets are the closest analogues to our model.

bacterial adhesion; initial monolayer formation; fluid interface

nije evidentirano