ArticleNPJ biofilms and microbiomes2018
Micro-CT X-ray imaging exposes structured diffusion barriers within biofilms.
Article in NPJ biofilms and microbiomes, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 57 citations in OpenAlex.
- Molecular imaging of bacterial biofilms-a systematic review.Critical reviews in microbiology · 2024Pooled it
- Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry for Quantifying Membrane Fouling: Fouling Layer Structure and Chemical Interaction.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Differential coping strategies exerted by biofilm and planktonic cells ofMicrobiology spectrum · 2026Article
- Production of an Innovative, Surface Area-Enhanced and Biodegradable Biofilm-Generating Device by 3D Printing.Engineering in life sciences · 2025Article
- Mass transfer in heterogeneous biofilms: Key issues in biofilm reactors and AI-driven performance prediction.Environmental science and ecotechnology · 2024Review
- The Utilization ofMicroorganisms · 2024Article
- The roles of calcium signaling and calcium deposition in microbial multicellularity.Trends in microbiology · 2023Review
- Effect of Calcium Ion Supplementation on Oral Microbial Composition and Biofilm Formation In Vitro.Microorganisms · 2022Article
- The roles of intracellular and extracellular calcium iniScience · 2022Article
- Calcium carbonate mineralization is essential for biofilm formation and lung colonization.iScience · 2022Article
- Controlling pore-scale processes to tame subsurface biomineralization.Re/views in environmental science and bio/technology · 2022Review
- Bacillus subtilis biofilm formation and social interactions.Nature reviews. Microbiology · 2021Review
- Insights into the Development of Phototrophic Biofilms in a Bioreactor by a Combination of X-ray Microtomography and Optical Coherence Tomography.Microorganisms · 2021Article
- Calcium Prevents Biofilm Dispersion in Bacillus subtilis.Journal of bacteriology · 2021Article
- Weaponizing volatiles to inhibit competitor biofilms from a distance.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2021Article
- Article
- Metal ions weaken the hydrophobicity and antibiotic resistance ofNPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2020Article
- The Adaptive Morphology ofMicroorganisms · 2019Article
- The Plant Host Induces Antibiotic Production To Select the Most-Beneficial Colonizers.Applied and environmental microbiology · 2019Article
- From molecules to multispecies ecosystems: the roles of structure in bacterial biofilms.Physical biology · 2019Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
In nature, bacteria predominantly exist as highly structured biofilms, which are held together by extracellular polymeric substance and protect their residents from environmental insults, such as antibiotics. The mechanisms supporting this phenotypic resistance are poorly understood. Recently, we identified a new mechanism maintaining biofilms - an active production of calcite minerals. In this work, a high-resolution and robust µCT technique is used to study the mineralized areas within intact bacterial biofilms. µCT is a vital tool for visualizing bacterial communities that can provide insights into the relationship between bacterial biofilm structure and function. Our results imply that dense and structured calcium carbonate lamina forms a diffusion barrier sheltering the inner cell mass of the biofilm colony. Therefore, µCT can be employed in clinical settings to predict the permeability of the biofilms. It is demonstrated that chemical interference with urease, a key enzyme in biomineralization, inhibits the assembly of complex bacterial structures, prevents the formation of mineral diffusion barriers and increases biofilm permeability. Therefore, biomineralization enzymes emerge as novel therapeutic targets for highly resistant infections.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.