English

The 'Swiss cheese' instability of bacterial biofilms

Biological Physics 2012-10-17 v1 Fluid Dynamics Cell Behavior

Abstract

We demonstrate a novel pattern that results in bacterial biofilms as a result of the competition between hydrodynamic forces and adhesion forces. After the passage of an air plug, the break up of the residual thin liquid film scrapes and rearranges bacteria on the surface, such that a Swiss cheese pattern of holes is left in the residual biofilm.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1210.4426,
  title  = {The 'Swiss cheese' instability of bacterial biofilms},
  author = {Hongchul Jang and Roberto Rusconi and Roman Stocker},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1210.4426},
  year   = {2012}
}