Figure 6. EVs induce bacterial aggregation.

B. breve NutRes 200 and L. rhamnosus NutRes 1 were seeded in flat-bottom 96-wells plates at 2.5×10⁶ bacteria/well in medium, medium with ExoQuick (EQ)(control), HS, HS-D or HS-EV and incubated at 37°C. After 16H cultures were analyzed for aggregation using microscopy and pictures were taken. Pictures were digitally processed and analyzed using ImageJ software, calculating the area covered by objects. Intact serum as well as HS-EVs induced bacterial aggregation, reducing the area covered by objects by approximately 50%. Aggregation was not observed upon EV depletion. No differences between strains could be observed.