Mechanical Characterization and Single-Cell Imaging of Bacterial Biofilms

Bacterial biofilms are structured clusters of bacterial cells embedded in a polymeric matrix and attached to a surface. The extracellular matrix protects the bacteria and allows them to survive in hostile environmental conditions. Biofilms can be both beneficial and harmful in nature, medicine and industry. Here, we summarize recent advances in understanding the mechanics of bacterial biofilms and high-resolution imaging techniques to visualize and reconstruct biofilms at single-cell level. A deeper understanding of biofilm architecture and mechanics will potentially lead to new treatment of biofilm-related infections and new material design enabled by biofilms.