title: Bacteria can form interconnected microcolonies when a self-excreted product reduces their surface motility: evidence from individual-based model simulations.
abstract: Recent experimental observations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a model bacterium in biofilm research, reveal that, under specific growth conditions, bacterial cells form patterns of interconnected microcolonies. In the present work, we use an individual-based model to assess the involvement of bacteria motility and self-produced extracellular substance in the formation of these patterns. In our simulations, the pattern of interconnected microcolonies appears only when bacteria motility is reduced by excreted extracellular macromolecules. Immotile bacteria form isolated microcolonies and constantly motile bacteria form flat biofilms. Based on experimental data and computer simulations, we suggest a mechanism that could be responsible for these interconnected microcolonies.
authors: INRIA, MERE Project, 2 pl. Viala, Montpellier, France. nabil.mabrouk@cemagref.fr
authors: Nabil
authors: N
authors: Mabrouk
authors: Guillaume
authors: G
authors: Deffuant
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Tolker-Nielsen
authors: Claude
authors: C
authors: Lobry
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008954:Models, Biological; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013269:Stochastic Processes
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial