How do the ECM components contribute to the biofilm as a whole?

We integrate our findings on the properties of the isolated ECM components and compare them with the properties of whole biofilms. One aspect that we study is the state of water inside biofilms. We have recently shown that water in biofilms is bound. Surprisingly, the contribution of the ECM to water binding is minor, relative to that of the solutes inside the biofilm.

Publications:

Hayet, S., Ghrayeb, M., Azulay, D. N., Shpilt, Z., Tshuva, E. Y., & Chai, L. (2023). Titanium complexes affect Bacillus subtilis biofilm formation. RSC Medicinal Chemistry.

Meesaragandla, B., Hayet, S., Fine, T., Janke, U., Chai, L., & Delcea, M. (2022). Inhibitory Effect of Epigallocatechin Gallate-Silver Nanoparticles and Their Lysozyme Bioconjugates on Biofilm Formation and Cytotoxicity. ACS Applied Bio Materials.‏‏

Azulay DN, Späker O, Ghrayeb M, Wilsch-Bräuninger M, Scoppola E, Burghammer M, Zizak I, Bertinetti L, Politi Y, Chai L. Multiscale X-ray study of Bacillus subtilis biofilms reveals interlinked structural hierarchy and elemental heterogeneity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America [Internet]. 2022;119 (4).

Nir I, Lybman A, Hayet S, Azulay DN, Ghrayeb M, Liddaweih S, Chai L. Bacillus subtilis biofilms characterized as hydrogels. Insights on water uptake and water binding in biofilms. Soft Matter [Internet]. 2020