engleski

Biofilms of marine microorganisms: model study of initial monolayer

Studies of biofilm formation are essential for understanding and control of processes in natural aquatic systems, for industrial applications and in medicine and stomatology where the most extensive studies have been performed (1). Our investigations of adhesion of droplets (2) and microorganisms (3,4) at the expanding mercury electrode/seawater interface offer a new approach to studies of initial monolayer during biofilm formation in marine environment. Phytoplankton organism Dunaliella tertiolecta (8-10mm) has been chosen as model organism. It has fluid cell wall and during film formation at the mercury electrode attachment of individual cells yields a well-defined electrical signal in millisecond scale. Dynamics of film formation is mesured as a time (Ł2 s) which is necessary to reach a full coverage of the expanding marcury drop in suspensions of D. tertiolecta cells alone, or in presence of dissolved biomolecules, as well as in mixtures with monoculture of hydrophobic bacterium Acetinobacter sp. (RAG-1). Our results show a difference in dynamics of monolayer formation between suspension of D. tertiolecta alone, and their mixtures with dissolved molecules and bacteria.

marine microorganisms; initial monolayer formation; mercury electrode

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