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Atomic Force Microscopy Tools to Characterize the Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Pathogens

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Nanotechnology to Aid Chemical and Biological Defense

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Abstract

Microbial pathogens are highly complex and heterogeneous systems. Cell populations generally contain subgroups of cells which exhibit differences in growth rate, as well as resistance to stress and drug treatment. In addition, individual cells are spatially organized and heterogeneous; this cellular heterogeneity is used to perform key functions. This complexity emphasizes the need for single-cell analysis techniques in microbial research.

With its ability to image and manipulate cellular systems at nanometer resolution and in physiological conditions, atomic force microscopy (AFM) offers unprecedented opportunities in microbiology and contributes to the birth of a new field called ‘microbial nanoscopy’. Using topographic imaging, researchers can visualize the ultrastructure of live cells and their subtle modification under activity of antimicrobial agents. Force spectroscopy with tips that bear bioligands offers a means to probe the localization and adhesion of single receptors on cells, such as cell adhesion proteins and antibiotic binding sites. Single-cell force spectroscopy quantifies the forces driving microbe-microbe, microbe-solid, and microbe-host interactions. In this chapter, we will discuss how we can use these AFM modalities in microbiology. We will present some recent breakthroughs in pathogen research, emphasizing the potential of various AFM modes for studying cell adhesion and biofilm formation in Candida, Aspergillus and Staphylococcus species.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Catholique de Louvain, Institute of Life Sciences, Croix du Sud, 4-5, bte L7.07.06, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

    Sofiane El-Kirat-Chatel & Audrey Beaussart

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  1. Sofiane El-Kirat-Chatel
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  2. Audrey Beaussart
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Correspondence to Sofiane El-Kirat-Chatel or Audrey Beaussart .

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  1. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

    Terri A. Camesano

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El-Kirat-Chatel, S., Beaussart, A. (2015). Atomic Force Microscopy Tools to Characterize the Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Pathogens. In: Camesano, T. (eds) Nanotechnology to Aid Chemical and Biological Defense. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7218-1_1

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