Growth and deformation of bacterial biofilms in fluid shear

Bacterial biofilms are surface-associated, three-dimensional structures populated by cells embedded in matrix. In typical natural, medical and industrial contexts, biofilms are subjected to significant fluid shear, but the effect of flow on biofilm dynamics is not well understood. Combining single-cell live imaging with simulations, we characterize how hydrodynamic effects at multiple stages of growth contribute to Vibrio cholerae biofilm morphologies. Our results demonstrate that dynamics at several scales determine the architectures of biofilms in flow.