Abstract
Phase, darkfield, and computer-enhanced microscopy were used to observe the surface microenvironment of flow cells during bacterial colonization. Microbial behavior was consistent with the assumptions used previously to derive surface colonization kinetics and to calculate surface growth and attachment rates from cell number and distribution. Surface microcolonies consisted of closely packed cells. Each colony contained 2n cells, where n is the number of cell divisions following attachment. Initially, cells were freely motile while attached, performing circular looping movements within the plane of the solid-liquid interface. Subsequently, cells attached apically, maintained a fixed position on the surface, and rotated. This type of attachment was reversible and did not necessarily lead to the formation of microcolonies. Cells became irreversibly attached by progressing from apical to longitudinal attachment. Longitudinally attached cells increased in length, then divided, separated, moved apart laterally, and slid next to one another. This resulted in tight cell packing and permitted simultaneous growth and adherence. After approximately 4 generations, individual cells emigrated from developing microcolonies to recolonize the surface at new locations. Surface colonization byPseudomonas fluorescens can thus be subdivided into the following sequential colonization phases: motile attachment phase, reversible attachment phase, irreversible attachment phase, growth phase, and recolonization phase.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adler J (1975) Chemotaxis in bacteria. Ann Rev Biochem 44:341–355
Berg HC, Brown DA (1972) Chemotaxis inE. coli analysed by three-dimensional tracking. Nature 239:500–504
Berg H, Block SM (1984) A miniature flow-cell designed for rapid exchange of media under high-power microscope objectives. J Gen Microbiol 130:2915–2920
Block SM, Segall JE, Berg HC (1983) Adaptation kinetics in bacterial chemotaxis. J Bacteriol 154:312–324
Bott TL, Brock TD (1970) Growth and metabolism of periphytic bacteria: methodology. Limnol and Oceanog 15:333–342
Brannan DK, Caldwell DE (1982) Evaluation of a proposed surface colonization equation usingThermothrix thiopara as a model organism. Microb Ecol 8:15–21
Brock TD (1971) Microbial growth rates in nature. Bacteriol Rev 35:39–58
Caldwell DE (1977) The planktonic microflora of lakes. CRC Crit Rev Microbiol 5:305–307
Caldwell DE (1984) Surface colonization parameters from cell density and distribution. In: Marshall KC (ed) Microbial adhesion and aggregation. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp 125–136
Caldwell DE, Caldwell SJ, Tiedje JM (1975) An ecological study of the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from the littoral zone of a Michigan lake and a sulfur spring in Florida. Plant and Soil 43:101–114
Caldwell DE, Malone JA, Kieft TL (1983) Derivation of a growth rate equation describing microbial surface colonization. Microb Ecol 9:1–6
Caldwell DE, Brannan DK, Morris ME, Betlach MR (1981) Quantitation of microbial growth on surfaces. Microb Ecol 7:1–12
Caldwell DE, Lawrence JR (in press) Study of attached cells in continuous-flow slide culture. Chapter 6. In: Wimpenney JWT (ed) A handbook of laboratory model systems for ecosystem research. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida
Caldwell DE, Lawrence JR (1986) Growth kinetics ofPseudomonas fluorescens microcolonies within the hydrodynamic boundary layer of surface microenvironments. Microb Ecol 12:299–312
Chet I, Mitchell R (1976) Ecological aspects of microbial chemotactic behaviour. Ann Rev Microbiol 30:221–239
Costerton JW (1980) Some techniques in the study of adsorption of microorganisms to surfaces. In: Bitton G, Marshall KC (eds) Adsorption of microorganisms to surfaces. John Wiley and Sons, Toronto, pp 403–423
Duxbury T, Humphrey BA, Marshall KC (1980) Continuous observation of bacterial gliding motility in a dialysis microchamber: the effects of inhibitors. Arch Microbiol 124:169–175
Fletcher M (1979) The attachment of bacteria to surfaces in aquatic environments. In: Ellwood DC, Melling J (eds) Adhesion of microorganisms to surfaces. Academic Press, London, pp 87–108
Fletcher M (1980) The question of passive versus active attachment mechanisms in nonspecific bacterial adhesion. In: Berekley RCW, Lynch JM, Melling J, Rutter PR, Vincent B (eds) Microbial adhesion to surfaces. Ellis Horwood, Chichester, pp 197–210
Freter R (1980) Prospects for preventing the association of harmful bacteria with host mucosal surfaces. In: Beachey EH (ed) Bacterial adherence. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp 458–493
Hazelbauer GL, Engstrom P, Harayama S, Ahmet Khan (1979) In: Kroeze JHA (ed) Preference behaviour inE. coli: involvement of both receptors and transducers. Preference behaviour and chemoreception. Proceedings of a symposium. IRL Publishers, “Het Meerdal Horst”, The Netherlands
Hirsch P (1984) Microcolony formation and consortia. In: Marshall KC (ed) Microbial adhesion and aggregation. Springer-Verlag, New York, pp 373–394
Humphrey BA, Dickson MR, Marshall KC (1979) Physicochemical and in situ observations on the adhesion of gliding bacteria to surfaces. Arch Microbiol 120:231–238
Kieft TL, Caldwell DE (1983) A computer simulation of surface microcolony formation during microbial colonization. Microb Ecol 9:7–13
Kieft TL, Caldwell DE (1984) Chemostat and in situ colonization kinetics ofThermothrix thiopara on calcite and pyrite surfaces. Geomicrobiol J 3:217–229
Kjelleberg S, Humphrey BA, Marshall KC (1982) Effect of interfaces on small, starved marine bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 43:1166–1172
Langlois WE (1964) Slow viscous flow. Macmillan Co, New York
Lawrence JR, Caldwell DE (1987) Behavior of bacterial stream populations within the hydrodynamic boundary layers of surface microenvironments. Microb Ecol 14:15–27
Malone JA, Caldwell DE (1983) Evaluation of surface colonization kinetics in continuous culture. Microb Ecol 9:299–305
Marshall KC, Stout R, Mitchell R (1971) Mechanisms of the initial events in the sorption of marine bacteria to solid surfaces. J Gen Microbiol 68:337–348
Meadows PS (1971) The attachment of bacteria to solid surfaces. Arch Mikrobiol 75:374–381
Ørstavik D (1977) Sorption ofStreptococcus faisium to glass. Acta Pathologica et Microbiologica Scandinavica 85:38–46
Perfil'ev BV, Gabe DR (1969) Capillary methods of investigating microorganisms. (Translated by JM Shewan) University of Toronto Press, Toronto
Scher FM, Kloepper JW, Singleton CA (1985) Chemotaxis of fluorescentPseudomonas spp. to soybean seed exudates in vitro and in soil. Can J Microbiol 31:570–574
Silverman M, Simon M (1974) Flagellar rotation and the mechanism of bacterial motility. Nature 249:73–74
Staley JT (1971) Growth rates of algae determined in situ using an immersed microscope. J Phycol 7:13–17
Stanley PM (1983) Factors affecting the irreversible attachment ofPseudomonas aeruginosa to stainless steel. Can J Microbiol 29:1493–1499
Vaituzis Z, Doetsch RN (1969) Motility tracks: technique for quantitative study of bacterial movement. Appl Microbiol 17:584–588
Zobell C (1943) The effect of solid surfaces upon bacterial activity. J Bacteriol 46:39–56
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lawrence, J.R., Delaquis, P.J., Korber, D.R. et al. Behavior ofPseudomonas fluorescens within the hydrodynamic boundary layers of surface microenvironments. Microb Ecol 14, 1–14 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02011566
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02011566