Spatial Patterning of Engineered Biofilms
Abstract
Bacteria living in biofilms can have wide-ranging impacts on society, ranging from threatening human health to purifying drinking water. Biofilms are aggregates of bacterial cells surrounded by a self-produced, spatially-structured extracellular matrix. During biofilm growth, bacteria develop enhanced resistance to both antibacterial treatments and mechanical stressors, making them difficult to eradicate but robust enough for usage in beneficial environmental applications. In order to develop new anti-biofilm treatments and to efficiently deploy beneficial biofilms, a reproducible, engineerable biofilm model system is urgently needed. In this project, we used our home-built 3D bacteria printer in combination with engineered bacteria to create model biofilms containing spatially-patterned gradients of biofilm components. The printed biofilm bacteria were tested for their emergent biological properties, including the ability to resist antibacterial treatments. These model biofilms will be crucial for future development of anti-biofilm strategies and therapeutics, as well as for the production of beneficial biofilms for use in variable, challenging environments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 04, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1217750
Entities
People
- Marie-Eve Aubin-Tam
Organizations
- Delft University of Technology