title: A detailed guideline for the fabrication of single bacterial probes used for atomic force spectroscopy.
abstract: The atomic force microscope (AFM) evolved as a standard device in modern microbiological research. However, its capability as a sophisticated force sensor is not used to its full capacity. The AFM turns into a unique tool for quantitative adhesion research in bacteriology by using "bacterial probes". Thereby, bacterial probes are AFM cantilevers that provide a single bacterium or a cluster of bacteria as the contact-forming object. We present a step-by-step protocol for preparing bacterial probes, performing force spectroscopy experiments and processing force spectroscopy data. Additionally, we provide a general insight into the field of bacterial cell force spectroscopy.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Physics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, D-66123, Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thewes
authors.affiliation: Experimental Physics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, D-66123, Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loskill
authors.affiliation: Experimental Physics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, D-66123, Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spengler
authors.affiliation: Experimental Physics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, D-66123, Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hümbert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Saarland University, D-66421, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bischoff
authors.affiliation: Experimental Physics, Campus E2 9, Saarland University, D-66123, Saarbrücken, Germany. k.jacobs@physik.uni-saarland.de.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002138:Calibration; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000166:cytology; D050296:Microbial Viability; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation*; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis
keywords: Tips and Tricks