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Visual confirmation of EPS interstices in division-formed versus aggregation-formed colonies

Ascertain whether the extracellular polymeric substance layer in division-formed Microcystis strain V163 colonies fills intercellular interstices, and whether aggregation-formed colonies retain unfilled gaps between cells, by obtaining direct visual confirmation of these structural differences.

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Background

The authors attribute stronger mechanical resistance of division-formed colonies to EPS that fills gaps between cells, whereas aggregation-formed colonies likely have interstices that are not filled with EPS, resulting in weaker bonds. This structural hypothesis underpins differences in fragmentation behavior under shear.

However, direct visualization of the EPS layer around Microcystis strain V163 colonies is challenging due to its thinness, preventing confirmation with optical microscopy in the reported experiments. Establishing this structural distinction is important for linking colony mechanics to EPS architecture.

References

However, we could not confirm this hypothesis visually, as the EPS layer in Microcystis strain V163 is too thin (< 1 μm) for a clear identification using optical microscopy.

— Fragmentation and aggregation of cyanobacterial colonies (2407.21115 - Sinzato et al., 30 Jul 2024) in Section “Aggregation-formed colonies are less resistant than division-formed colonies”