Real-time optotracing of curli and cellulose in live Salmonella biofilms using luminescent oligothiophenes.

ABSTRACT: Extracellular matrix (ECM) is the protein- and polysaccharide-rich backbone of bacterial biofilms that provides a defensive barrier in clinical, environmental and industrial settings. Understanding the dynamics of biofilm formation in native environments has been hindered by a lack of research tools. Here we report a method for simultaneous, real-time, in situ detection and differentiation of the Salmonella ECM components curli and cellulose, using non-toxic, luminescent conjugated oligothiophenes (LCOs). These flexible conjugated polymers emit a conformation-dependent fluorescence spectrum, which we use to kinetically define extracellular appearance of curli fibres and cellulose polysaccharides during bacterial growth. The scope of this technique is demonstrated by defining

SUBMITTER: Choong FX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5515270 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature