Impact of the Charge-Regulated Nature of the Bacterial Cell Surface on the Activity of Adhered Cells

Since the first reported observations by Zobell in 1943, it has been recognized that the metabolic activity of adhered bacteria can differ from that of their planktonic counterparts. Many studies have been performed and the overwhelming evidence is that bacterial adhesion to surfaces can result in changes to cellular metabolic activity and that the changes are a function of the surface properties of both the bacterial and adhering surfaces. However, the mechanism that results in these observations has remained elusive. The authors have approached this problem by focusing on cellular bioenergetics, which describes how bacteria obtain, store and use energy, and how adhesion can affect this process. In a series of experimental and numerical studies, the authors developed a hypothesis linking cellular bioenergetics to the physicochemical charge-regulation effect, which causes variations in surface electrostatic properties as a surface containing acid/base functional groups (e.g., the bacterial cell surface) approaches another surface. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize these prior studies and provide a cohesive presentation of the hypothesis. If this hypothesis is ultimately shown to be true, it will provide a fundamental basis for the engineered design of surface materials and coatings that can enhance or inhibit bacterial activity and colonization, depending on the requirements of the system at hand. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011