Recent research from Princeton (N.J.) University revealed bacteria are influenced by the physical characteristics and flow of fluid in the environments they're invading. That means the flow of fluid can affect how bacteria communicate, grow and form biofilms and infections.
Bonnie Bassler, PhD, Princeton's Squibb Professor in Molecular Biology, and her colleagues designed the study to explore quorum sensing — the chemical process through which bacteria communicate — in settings that mirror real-world situations more accurately than ever before.
"We realized that if we are going to learn how to manipulate quorum sensing on demand to find ways to treat disease, we have to know how it works in realistic settings," said Dr. Bassler. "The eventual goal of this research is to alter quorum sensing in ways that destroy harmful bacteria, and benefit desirable bacteria."
The researchers built experimental devices that mimicked common environments in which bacteria are subjected to the flow of liquids such as wastewater or bodily fluids. Then they tested two types of disease-causing bacteria, Vibrio cholerae and Staphylococcus aureus, and analyzed how the bacteria reacted when exposed to a flow of fluids at different speeds.
Ultimately, they found the level and location of bacterial communication relied on the shape of the physical space and the flow conditions.
The findings of the study are important because they provide scientists with a better understanding of where and when in a person's system interventions can best impede bacterial communication to help prevent infections and blockages.
To learn more about the study or to watch videos, click here.
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