Biofilm Gene Expression

Biofilms are spatially structured bacterial communities that contribute to chronic bacterial diseases. Many cells within the biofilm are shielded from host defenses and drugs. In addition, multiple species frequently co-occur and interact in a polymicrobial biofilm. We are very interested in the biofilm development and the transcriptome-wide responses to antimicrobial treatments on a single-cell level. By employing single-cell RNA sequencing in conjunction with time-lapse imaging, we aim to create single-cell gene expression maps of model single- and multiple-species biofilms. We will also unravel how these responses change in the presence of interacting or competing species.