Issue 26, 2017

Imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms using carbon dots derived from L. plantarum

Abstract

Imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms is challenging due to them being shielded by a sticky and strong extracellular polymeric substance matrix that blocks the penetration of dyes, but is especially important for biofilm study. Here, carbon dots, namely CDs-605, were used for successfully imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms. We demonstrated that such CDs-605 could be easily synthesized from L. plantarum by one-step hydrothermal carbonization. The negatively charged CDs-605 were composed of C, H, O, N, P, and S and contained various functional groups, including –OH, –COOH, and –CONH–. For the first time, CDs-605 were found to be capable of imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms, including E. coli, S. oneidensis, P. aeruginosa, S. aures, and T. reesei, demonstrating that the labeling is universal. The labeling method based on CDs-605 did not require incubation, protection from light, or washing, which makes it very convenient. Additionally, CDs-605 did not disturb the biofilm and displayed better photostability compared to the commercial counterpart. CDs-605 can serve as a simple, yet powerful staining agent for biofilm-embedded microorganism imaging, which is vital for gaining a fundamental understanding of biofilm formation and dispersal.

Graphical abstract: Imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms using carbon dots derived from L. plantarum

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 Mar 2017
Accepted
04 Jun 2017
First published
06 Jun 2017

Nanoscale, 2017,9, 9056-9064

Imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms using carbon dots derived from L. plantarum

F. Lin, C. Li, L. Dong, D. Fu and Z. Chen, Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 9056 DOI: 10.1039/C7NR01975K

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