Patterning Bacterial Cells on Quasi-Liquid Surfaces for Biofilm Morphological Control

Bacterial cells within biofilms exhibit resistance to antibiotics, presenting persistent health risks. Current approaches to inhibit biofilm formation have limitations due to their poor biofilm morphological control. For instance, bactericidal surfaces suffer from the accumulation of dead cells that compromise their antibacterial efficacy, and existing antifouling surfaces fail to inhibit biofilm formation. In this work, exceptional biofilm suppression is achieved on quasi-liquid surfaces (QLS) with patterned surface chemistry where live bacterial cells are guided from slippery to sticky patterned destinations. These surfaces consist of 50 µm slippery and 10 µm sticky stripes. Live bacterial cells are directed to congregate on the sticky patterns, resulting in reduced biofilm biomass and surface coverage compared to uniform slippery surfaces. The patterned biofilm produces sparser extracellular matrix, thus reducing the barrier for antibiotic penetration and treatment. The innovative approach to direct cell migration on patterned QLS represents a promising strategy for inhibiting biofilm formation and combating biofilm-associated infections.