Adhesion and growth of bacteria at surfaces in oligotrophic habitats

Abstract

In an extension of our previous studies demonstrating the ability of reversibly and irreversibly adhering bacteria to metabolize surface-bound organic substrates, we have directly demonstrated cellular growth and reproduction by previously starved bacteria in association with surface-bound substrates. The mode of cell attachment and division varies with the organisms involved, ranging from a continuous release of daughter cells from a perpendicularly attached mother cell of Vibrio DW1, to normal binary fission and a slow surface migration of face to face attached daughter cells of Pseudomonas JD8, with extensive detachment of cells late in the growth cycle, to normal binary fission in the aqueous phase following surface association of reversibly attached cells of Vibrio MH3. These studies indicate a range of strategies of bacterial growth and development at surfaces.