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Bacterial Biofilms as a Complex Community

Bacterial Biofilms as a Complex Community. Tracy K. Teal D. K. Newman and B. J. Wold Labs Complexity Club August 13, 2003. Complexity. What is complexity? What is a good quantitative measure of complexity?. No theoretical discussion of complexity. Introduction to biofilms

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Bacterial Biofilms as a Complex Community

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  1. Bacterial Biofilms as a Complex Community Tracy K. Teal D. K. Newman and B. J. Wold Labs Complexity Club August 13, 2003

  2. Complexity What is complexity? What is a good quantitative measure of complexity? • No theoretical discussion of complexity. • Introduction to biofilms • Complexity in biology, such as functional, structural and hierarchical complexity and some of the implications of complexity in adaptation.

  3. What is a biofilm? Bacteria that are attached to a surface and form a 3-dimensional structure, held together by an extracellular polymeric substance

  4. Catheter Morning Glory Pool in Yellowstone National ParkNational Park Service Contact lens Biofilms in the environment

  5. Biofilm formation and growth O2 • Quorum sensing and chemical signaling • Microcolonies with extracellular matrix • Network of channels • Cells experience different environmental conditions • Multi-species

  6. Biofilm formation and growth Given the heterogeneity of the environment, how is the biofilm community structured? There is a strong relationship between the cell’s environment and its physiology and structure. Biofilms form Nutrient levels decrease towards the center Variety of environmental niches form Science News

  7. .5mM lactate 5mM lactate 1:10 LB 50 um Relationship between biofilm morphology and the environment

  8. How are biofilms differentiated? Given the existence of many micro-environments, how is the biofilm organized with respect to metabolism? O2

  9. Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 • facultative anaerobe • versatile respiration • gram negative • MR-1 genome is sequenced and can be manipulated genetically

  10. Design concept Use reporter systems consisting of promoter regions fused to fluorescent proteins to indicate regions of differing metabolism within a biofilm Use oxygen respiration as indicators of the cells metabolic state • Promoter regions • Unstable fluorescent proteins • Microscopy O2

  11. What is complexity? Dr. Adami – Complexity Club, Jan 21, 2003 • “Structural” complexity: Number of different parts and their interactions • “Hierarchical” complexity: Number of levels in a hierarchy • “Functional” complexity: • Number of different functions an organism can perform, or • Computational capacity of an organism (or device), the maximal mutual entropy between input signals and output actions. • “Sequence” complexity

  12. How is a biofilm complex? Microenvironment (chemical signals, nutrient conditions) -> complex regulatory networks -> change in physiology or metabolism -> affects environment • Complex cell-cell interactions • Effects of environmental conditions on biofilm morphology and physiology. Multiple parameters exist and their effects are difficult to predict. • More “complex” than planktonic cells

  13. Who cares? How is it useful? How might thinking about complexity in biofilms systems be useful? • Adaptation and complexity • Does the complexity of the system allow it to be more adaptable or resilient? • Are there complexity measures that could allow us to predict how resilient a biofilm would be? • Would decreasing the complexity of a biofilm cause it to be more susceptible to environmental influences? • Important to keep in mind when working with biofilm systems

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