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Topography quantifications allow for identifying the contribution of parental strains to physical properties of co-cultured biofilms.

ABSTRACT: Most biofilm research has so far focused on investigating biofilms generated by single bacterial strains. However, such single-species biofilms are rare in nature where bacteria typically coexist with other microorganisms. Although, from a biological view, the possible interactions occurring between different bacteria are well studied, little is known about what determines the material properties of a multi-species biofilm. Here, we ask how the co-cultivation of two B. subtilis strains affects certain important biofilm properties such as surface topography and wetting behavior. We find that, even though each daughter colony typically resembles one of the parent colonies in terms of morphology and wetting, it nevertheless exhibits a significantly different surface topography. Yet, this difference is only detectable via a quantitative metrological analysis of the biofilm surface. Furthermore, we show that this difference is due to the presence of bacteria belonging to the 'other' parent strain, which does not dominate the biofilm features. The findings presented here may pinpoint new strategies for how biofilms with hybrid properties could be generated from two different bacterial strains. In such engineered biofilms, it might be possible to combine desired properties from two strains by co-cultivation.

SUBMITTER: Hayta EN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7902895 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Topography quantifications allow for identifying the contribution of parental strains to physical properties of co-cultured biofilms.

Hayta Elif N EN Rickert Carolin A CA Lieleg Oliver O

Biofilm 20210206

Most biofilm research has so far focused on investigating biofilms generated by single bacterial strains. However, such single-species biofilms are rare in nature where bacteria typically coexist with other microorganisms. Although, from a biological view, the possible interactions occurring between different bacteria are well studied, little is known about what determines the material properties of a multi-species biofilm. Here, we ask how the co-cultivation of two <i>B. subtilis</i> strains af ...[more]

PMID: 33665611

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Project description:BackgroundPhysical inactivity is increasing among adolescents in the U.S., especially among girls. Despite growing evidence that parents are an important influence on adolescent health, few longitudinal studies have explored the causal relationship between parental influence and physical activity. This study examines how the relationships between parental influences and adolescent physical activity differ by gender and tests whether these relationships are mediated by adolescents' self-esteem and depression.MethodsData are from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The sample includes 13,246 youth, grades 7 to 12, interviewed in 1995 and again 1 year later. Logit models were used to evaluate parental influences on achieving five or more bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week [MVPA] and whether the relationship between parental influence and MVPA was mediated by adolescents' level of self-esteem and depression.ResultsFamily cohesion, parent-child communication and parental engagement positively predicted MVPA for both genders one year later (odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for females, 1.09 [1.05-1.12], 1.13 [1.07-1.19], 1.25 [1.17-1.33] and males, 1.08 [1.04-1.11], 1.14 [1.07-1.23], 1.23 [1.14-1.33], respectively); however, parental monitoring did not (odds ratio and confidence intervals for females and males, 1.02 [.97-1.07]). For both females and males, self-esteem mediated the relationship between parental influence and physical activity. Depressive symptoms were only a mediator among males. Females reported higher levels of parent-child communication and lower family cohesion compared with males. There were no gender differences in levels of parental monitoring and engagement. Females had significantly lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of depressive symptoms than males.ConclusionStrategies to promote physical activity among adolescents should focus on increasing levels of family cohesion, parental engagement, parent-child communication and adolescent self-esteem.

Project description:High soil salinity negatively influences plant growth and yield. Some taxa have evolved mechanisms for avoiding or tolerating elevated soil salinity, which can be modulated by the environment experienced by parents or offspring. We tested the contribution of the parental and offspring environments on salinity adaptation and their potential underlying mechanisms. In a two-generation greenhouse experiment, we factorially manipulated salinity concentrations for genotypes of Medicago truncatula that were originally collected from natural populations that differed in soil salinity. To compare population level adaptation to soil salinity and to test the potential mechanisms involved we measured two aspects of plant performance, reproduction and vegetative biomass, and phenological and physiological traits associated with salinity avoidance and tolerance. Saline-origin populations had greater biomass and reproduction under saline conditions than non-saline populations, consistent with local adaptation to saline soils. Additionally, parental environmental exposure to salt increased this difference in performance. In terms of environmental effects on mechanisms of salinity adaptation, parental exposure to salt spurred phenological differences that facilitated salt avoidance, while offspring exposure to salt resulted in traits associated with greater salt tolerance. Non-saline origin populations expressed traits associated with greater growth in the absence of salt while, for saline adapted populations, the ability to maintain greater performance in saline environments was also associated with lower growth potential in the absence of salt. Plastic responses induced by parental and offspring environments in phenology, leaf traits, and gas exchange contribute to salinity adaptation in M. truncatula. The ability of plants to tolerate environmental stress, such as high soil salinity, is likely modulated by a combination of parental effects and within-generation phenotypic plasticity, which are likely to vary in populations from contrasting environments.

Dataset Information

Topography quantifications allow for identifying the contribution of parental strains to physical properties of co-cultured biofilms.

Publications

Topography quantifications allow for identifying the contribution of parental strains to physical properties of co-cultured biofilms.

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