| AVS 54th International Symposium | |
| Biomaterial Interfaces | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session BI-TuP |
| Session: | Biomaterials Interfaces Poster Session |
| Presenter: | Z.Y. Suo, Montana State University |
| Authors: | Z.Y. Suo, Montana State University R. Avci, Montana State University L. Kellerman, Montana State University X.H. Yang, Montana State University D.W. Pascual, Montana State University |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
High-resolution AFM images of gram-negative pathogenic Salmonella typhimurium reveal the morphological features of bacterial cells, including CFA/I fimbriae with a diameter of ~3 nm, flagella with a diameter of ~11 nm, and the extracellular polymeric substance surrounding the bacteria. The fine details of the CFA/I fimbriae and the lipopolysaccharides decorating them are clearly resolved when imaged with ultrasharp tips in tapping mode. For studies in liquid, however, it is necessary to immobilize bacterial cells through some sort of "leash," or cross-linker. Live S. typhimurium and their adhesins were successfully immobilized through interactions between bacterial surface antigens and their corresponding antibodies covalently linked to a substrate. Cells immobilized in this way remain viable for hours in PBS buffer and are capable of regenerating if incubated in a growth medium. Immobilized live S. typhimurium cells were imaged in PBS buffer in contact mode and force-volume mode. This approach opens up new fields of investigation, such as quantification of adhesin-receptor interactions, affinity mapping and patterning of bacterial cells on surfaces, which will be discussed in our presentation.