FIG. 4.

AFM analysis of D. geothermalis E50051 cells attached to stainless steel. The biofilm was grown in R2 broth (1 day, 45°C, 160 rpm) and imaged in the MAC mode in water. The cells are seen as white spots like the one indicated by an arrow in the topography image in panel A. Cross section I confirms the white spots as deinococcal cells. The images in panels A, B, and C are from three subsequent scannings at the same location and show that one scan repositioned the live cells by 1 to 5 μm (panel A versus panel B) but did not detach these cells from the surface. The next scan caused sliding of the cells outside the scan area (C).