Open AccessMultiscale X-ray study of Bacillus subtilis biofilms reveals interlinked structural hierarchy and elemental heterogeneity
Author(s) -
David N. Azulay,
Oliver Spaeker,
Mnar Ghrayeb,
Michaela WilschBräuninger,
Ernesto Scoppola,
Manfred Burghammer,
Ivo Žižak,
Luca Bertinetti,
Yael Politi,
Liraz Chai
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2118107119
Subject(s) - biofilm , bacillus subtilis , extracellular polymeric substance , biology , biophysics , population , spore , multicellular organism , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , matrix (chemical analysis) , chemistry , biochemistry , genetics , gene , demography , chromatography , sociology
Significance Biofilms are multicellular, soft microbial communities that are able to colonize synthetic surfaces as well as living organisms. To survive sudden environmental changes and efficiently share their common resources, cells in a biofilm divide into subgroups with distinct functions, leading to phenotypic heterogeneity. Here, by studying intact biofilms by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and fluorescence, we revealed correlations between biofilm macroscopic, architectural heterogeneity and the spatiotemporal distribution of extracellular matrix, spores, water, and metal ions. Our findings demonstrate that biofilm heterogeneity is not only affected by local genetic expression and cellular differentiation but also by passive effects resulting from the physicochemical properties of the molecules secreted by the cells, leading to differential distribution of nutrients that propagate through macroscopic length scales.