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Researchers investigate how microbes feel their way around

Understanding how bacteria form communities on surfaces, including biofilms, has significant implications for both health and industry. Cells use tactile sensors to detect surfaces and convert the sense of touch into biochemical signals to colonize surfaces.

Dr. Pushkar Lele, a professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, investigates how bacteria sense their mechanical environment—termed mechanosensing—triggering intracellular signaling that leads to surface colonization.

"Bacteria constantly sense mechanical signals in their surroundings to identify suitable conditions for establishing multicellular biofilms," Lele explains. "We're trying to determine how the sensor proteins, known as mechanosensors, function."

Unraveling how mechanosensing occurs is somewhat akin to explaining the workings of a hidden key in a grand piano that orchestrates an entire symphony when pressed. Researchers in the Lele Lab are attempting to explain the mechanisms at the tiny length scales of the bacterium.

The investigations demand ultra-precise tools, given that cells are approximately 100 times smaller than the width of a human hair and mechanosensors are 100 times smaller than the cell itself. This challenge has been met by Lele's acquisition of a new microscope from supplementary funds.

Among the various mechanosensors of interest to the team, one is located in the slender appendages known as flagella, which power bacterial swimming. One of the group's objectives is to determine the functioning of this mechanosensor known as the flagellar stator. These stators perform dual functions—enabling flagellar motility and detecting mechanical cues.

Mechanosensing initiates downstream signaling pathways involved in biofilm formation, genetic competence, and pathogenesis, although the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. These functions are detailed in Lele's latest review in Biomolecules.

Understanding bacterial mechanosensing is crucial for several reasons. From the perspective of health, bacteria play a vital role in our bodies, both good and bad. Understanding how they colonize tissues and other biotic surfaces can help us better comprehend and improve our gut health.

From the perspective of industry, bacterial communities can clog pipes and membranes, damage equipment, and result in significant financial losses for industries, estimated to be billions of dollars. The group's research could lead to the identification of novel molecular targets for preventing unwanted biofouling of industrial surfaces.

"We're not necessarily trying to create new probiotics or anti-biofouling agents," says Lele. "But by understanding the principles of mechanosensing, we're laying the groundwork for future applications in these and related topics."