Detection of Biofilm Disassembly Through a Dispersion Assay

Begin with a multi-well plate containing a bacterial biofilm — bacteria encapsulated within the protective extracellular polymeric substance or EPS.

Aspirate the medium to remove non-adherent bacteria and wash.

Treat bio-film-containing wells with either buffer alone, buffer with glucose, buffer with bile salts, or buffer with glucose and bile salts.

Buffer and glucose treatments support the release of bacterial enzymes that degrade the biofilm's EPS.

This results in the disassembly of the biofilm, releasing the bacteria.

While bile salts and a combination of bile salts and glucose treatments mimic stress conditions and retain bacteria within the protective EPS.

Transfer the supernatant from each well to a fresh multi-well plate.

Spot diluted supernatants on agar plates and incubate.

Enumerate bacterial colonies and determine the bacterial dispersion for each treatment.

A higher dispersion with buffer and glucose treatments compared to bile salts treatments indicates the disassembly of the biofilm.