Physics of Near Surface Bacterial Swimming

许多种类的细菌已经发展出游泳的能力，并在它们的自然环境中，生活在靠近各种界面的地方。这些特性对它们的生物学功能至关重要，如营养更新、趋化性、粘附性和生物膜形成。该项目旨在了解游泳细菌与表面之间的相互作用。以一种常见的非感染性细菌新月弯杆菌为模型系统，研究其在表面附近的游动轨迹及其与固体表面和水/气界面的相互作用。通常观察到的轨迹，如直线、圆形和局部弯曲的轨迹，以及细胞体到表面的距离都将被记录下来。实验数据将通过相关物理相互作用的计算和计算机模拟来分析，这些物理相互作用解释了这些物理相互作用。这项拟议的研究结果将阐明各种微生物的运动、趋化、黏附和生物被膜形成的机制。该项目的更广泛影响包括课堂教学和实验室培训的大量教育内容，为研究生和本科生提供宝贵的机会，接触物理科学和生物科学之间的多学科研究。外展工作包括通过现有的布朗大学K-12课程与当地公立学校建立伙伴关系。

Many species of bacteria have developed abilities to swim, and in their natural environment, to live close to various interfaces. These properties are critical for their biological functions such as nutrient update, chemotaxis, adhesion, and biofilm formation. This project aims at understanding the interaction between swimming bacteria and surfaces. The common, noninfectious bacterium Caulobacter crescentus is used as a model system for the study of its swimming trajectory near a surface and its interaction with both solid surface and water/air interface. Commonly observed trajectories such as straight, circular, and locally curved ones will be recorded, along with the distance of the cell body from a surface. The experimental data will be analyzed by calculation of relevant physical interactions and computer simulations, which account for these physical interactions. The findings of the proposed study will shed light on the mechanisms of motility, chemotaxis, adhesion, and biofilm formation for a variety of microbes. The broader impact of the project includes a large educational component of classroom teaching and laboratory training, providing valuable exposure of graduate and undergraduate students to multidisciplinary research at the interface between physical and biological sciences. Outreach efforts involve partnership with local public schools through existing Brown University K-12 programs.