Cellular automaton simulation of the diffusive motion of bacteria and their adhesion to nanostructures on a solid surface.
The growth of a biofilm begins with the adhesion of bacteria to a solid surface. Consequently, biofilm growth can be managed by the control of bacterial adhesion. Recent experimental studies have suggested that bacterial adhesion can be controlled by modifying a solid surface using nanostructures. Computational prediction and analysis of bacterial adhesion behavior are expected to be useful for the design of effective arrangements of nanostructures for controlling bacterial adhesion. The present study developed a cellular automaton (CA) model for bacterial adhesion simulation that could describe both the diffusive motion of bacteria and dependence of their adhesion patterns on the distance between nanostructures observed in experimental studies. The diffusive motion was analyzed by the moment scaling spectrum theory, and the present model was confirmed to describe subdiffusion behavior due to obstacles. Adhesion patterns observed in experimental studies can be successfully simulated by introducing CA rules to describe a mechanism by which bacteria tend to move to increase the area of contact with nanostructures.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Osaka Electro-Communication University, 18-8, Hatsu-cho, Neyagawa, Osaka 572-8530, Japan. Electronic address: tyamamot@osakac.ac.jp.
Takehiro
T
Yamamoto
Division of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Japan.
Chie
C
Emura
Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Osaka University, Japan.
Masashi
M
Oya
D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D019295:Computational Biology; D004058:Diffusion; D008954:Models, Biological; D049329:Nanostructures; D013499:Surface Properties
Bacterial adhesion; Biofilm; Cellular automaton; Moment scaling spectrum theory; Nanostructures; Numerical simulation