Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, ROC.
Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2013 Oct 1;110:356-62. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2013.05.013. Epub 2013 May 15.
We report a unique bio-nanomechanical behavior at the septum (Z-ring) of Streptococcus mutans-containing biofilm through in situ measurements obtained by atomic force microscopy. A distinct serrated pattern on the releasing force-displacement curves can only be observed with the use of a sharp nanosized probe tip, and this was found at the septum of S. mutans. Further investigations suggested the serrated patterns could be due to the unfolding of some sub-surface divisome proteins. Seismometer measurements were conducted at the septum by placing an ultra-sensitive atomic force microscope probe on the surface. Unique periodic vibrations were observed at the septum under various biofilm conditions. This finding suggests the possibility of remodeling of the cell wall nanostructure at the septum of S. mutans.
我们通过原子力显微镜的原位测量报告了变形链球菌生物膜隔片（Z 环）处独特的生物纳米力学行为。只有使用纳米级锋利探针才能在释放力-位移曲线上观察到明显的锯齿状图案，而这一现象只出现在变形链球菌的隔片处。进一步的研究表明，锯齿状图案可能是由于一些亚表面分裂酶蛋白的展开。通过将超灵敏原子力显微镜探针放置在表面上，在隔片处进行地震仪测量。在各种生物膜条件下，都可以在隔片处观察到独特的周期性振动。这一发现表明，变形链球菌隔片细胞壁纳米结构可能发生了重塑。
