Effect of substrate on biochemical expression of Bacterial Biofilms

Abstract

Single or multi species bacteria are agglomerated together with the help of Extracellular Polymeric Substance (EPS) forming bacterial biofilms (BBs). BBs get attached to the biotic or abiotic surfaces. This surface based adhesion alters the biochemical expression of BBs. Under the optimum conditions, the biochemical expression of BBs can be maximized. The BBs can be used in various biotechnological applications like biofertilizers, drug discovery, biofuels etc. (Senaviratne, et al., 2008). Thus, present study figure outs preferable surface for the BBs, which would enhance the functional properties of BBs.

Methodology

In this experiment, single species bacterial biofilms were formed in glass wool (G), metal fibers (M) and fungal filaments (F) immersed in a Low Cost Medium (LCM). Control (C) was maintained without surfaces or bacterial strain. There were three replicates for each treatment. Completely Randomized Design was followed as the experimental design. Attachment of bacterial biofilm with different surfaces was observed through the microscopy. Biochemical expressions of different biofilms were examined by analyzing the exudates using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR)

print, polysaccharide, amide, fatty acid I, II, and mixed. Cluster analysis was performed under each window to see the similarity and the differences of the biochemical expressions of bacterial biofilms attached with different surfaces. Statistical analysis was done by using Minitab statistical package (version 16).