In response to a hostile environment, some bacteria form a biofilm by secreting a glue-like matrix called extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) that functions as a physical barrier. In this work, we study the biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis within minimal biofilm-promoting media (MSgg) and how optical trapping affects bacteria aggregation and biofilm formation. We demonstrate that a laser with a low absorbent wavelength can be used to manipulate biofilm and aggregate bacteria without causing significant photodamage. Whereas, even at low power, a laser with a high absorbent wavelength disrupts biofilm formation and causes significant photodamage to trapped bacteria.
In this work, we study how to grow biofilms and control their growth with optical trapping techniques. In low nutrition media Bacillus subtilis (NCIB 3610) secretes extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), glue-like substance, and ultimately form a biofilm. To observe cells aggregation into clusters and the dynamics of controlled biofilm formation, we utilize an optical tweezers system built around a commercial inverted microscope. A highly focused near-infrared laser beam generated by our optical tweezers attracts cells toward the center of the laser beam, where they are trapped into clusters.
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