title: Apparent surface associated lag time in growth of primary biofilm cells.
abstract: The ability of microorganisms to form biofilms has been well documented. Bacterial cells make a transition from a planktonic state to a sessile state, replicate, and subsequently populate a surface. In this study, organisms that initially colonize a ``clean'' surface are referred to as ``primary'' biofilm cells. The progeny of the first generation of sessile cells are known as ``secondary'' biofilm cells. This study examined the growth of planktonic, primary, and secondary biofilm cells of a green fluorescent protein producing (GFP+) Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01. Biofilm experiments were performed in a parallel plate flow cell reactor with a glass substratum. Individual cells were tracked over time using a confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM). Primary cells experience a lag in their growth that may be attributed to adapting to a sessile environment or undergoing a phenotypic change. This is referred to as a surface associated lag time. Planktonic and secondary biofilm cells both grew at a faster rate than the primary biofilm cells under the same nutrient conditions.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA, US.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Camper