Founder cell configuration drives competitive outcome within colony biofilms

ABSTRACT: Bacteria typically form dense communities called biofilms, where cells are embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix. Competitive interactions between strains within the biofilm context are studied due to their potential applications in biological, medical, and industrial systems. Combining mathematical modelling with experimental assays, we reveal that the spatial structure and the competitive dynamics within biofilms are significantly affected by the location and density of founder cells. Using an isogenic pair of Bacillus subtilis strains, we show that the observed spatial structure and relative strain biomass in a mature biofilm can be mapped directly to the locations of founder cells. Moreover, we define a predictor of competitive outcome that accurately forecasts relative abun

ORGANISM(S): Bacillus subtilis

SUBMITTER: Lukas Eigentler 

PROVIDER: S-BSST676 | bioimages |

REPOSITORIES: bioimages