Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2010 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Microbiology (Reading). 2009 Jan;155(Pt 1):46–52. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.021048-0

Fig. 6.

Fig. 6

Continuous-flow system for study of GAS biofilm formation. (a) Inactivation of srv eliminates the ability of GAS to form biofilms under continuous-flow conditions. Complementation of srv in trans [MGAS5005Δsrv(pIAβ8-srv)] restores the biofilm phenotype. (b) Confocal microscopy of a 24 h continuous-flow biofilm. The image is an X–Y micrograph of MGAS5005 biofilm stained with LIVE/DEAD reagent. Cells with intact membranes (living) are stained green while cells with disrupted membranes are stained red. Areas of overlap appear yellow. Fifty X–Y plane micrographs indicate that the biofilm is approximately 80 μm thick. Vertical stacked Z images (margins) show living cells dispersed throughout the macroscopic structure. (c, d) Scanning electron microscopy of a 24 h continuous-flow biofilm; (c) shows the thickness of the biofilm formed within the chamber. At high magnification (d), chains of GAS can be clearly seen. Note the matrix material that appears to cover the bacterial chains. White arrows indicate the presence of fibrous strands.