Mechanophysiology of Bacterial Microcolonies

While bacterial physiology has been historically studied on bacteria swimming freely in rich media, there is no doubt that this is rarely their natural habitat. Many bacteria will form small aggregates of a few tens to a few thousands cells, called microcolonies, that can either represent their usual state or the precursors of more structured biofilms. Type IV pili are ubiquitous prokaryotic appendages involved in the mechanical interactions between many bacteria. We will show how the internal and external forces shaping Type IV pili mediated microcolonies can alter the physiology of the bacteria within these microcolonies. Similarly to what has been shown for eukaryotic cells, mechanical cues can control the physiological fate of bacteria from death to antibiotic resistance.