Regensburg 2022 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 10: Cell Adhesion and Multicellular Systems
BP 10.9: Vortrag
Dienstag, 6. September 2022, 12:15–12:30, H13
Structural and mechanical properties of filamentous cyanobacteria — •Mixon Faluweki1,2 and Lucas Goehring1 — 1Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK. — 2Malawi University of Science and Technology, Limbe, Malawi.
Filamentous cyanobacteria, long strands of connected cells, are one of Earth’s earliest forms of life. They are found in multiple environments playing different roles and forming large-scale patterns in structures like biomats and stromatolites. The mechanical properties of these structures contribute to cyanobacteria’s success in inhabiting their environments and are useful in applications such as algae-based biofuel production. One of the most important mechanical properties of these active polymers is the bending modulus or flexural rigidity. Here, we quantify the flexural rigidity of three cyanobacteria species, of order Oscillatoriales, via bending tests in a microfluidic flow device, where single cyanobacteria filaments are introduced into the microfluidic channel and deflected by fluid flow. Our measurements are confirmed separately by measuring the Young’s modulus and cell wall thickness using atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. These measurements can be used to model interactions between cyanobacteria, or with their environment, and how their collective behaviour emerges from such interactions.