Application of bacterial tracking techniques in biofilms

Abstract:

Biofilms are surface-attached complex aggregates consisting of bacteria cells and extracellular polymeric substances. Cells in biofilms show strong resistance to antibiotics and immune-escape capabilities. Their motility and metabolic activities are quite different from those when they are in planktonic style. In recent years, applications of new image-capturing techniques together with new image-processing methods, have greatly advanced the development of bacterial studies. This review focuses on bacterial tracking techniques. We first present an overview of recent progress in applications of those techniques in biofilm research, especially in the areas of bacterial motility and biofilm regulation, including swimming, twitching, swarming and typical regulatory signaling pathways for biofilms. Then we give a prospect for future applications of bacterial tracking in other related microbial fields.

Key words:bacterial tracking, biofilm, motility, single cell level, collective motion