FluidFM as a Tool to Study Adhesion Forces of Bacteria - Optimization of Parameters and Comparison to Conventional Bacterial Probe Scanning Force Spectroscopy

The FluidFM enables the immobilization of single cells on a hollow cantilever using relative underpressure. In this study, we systematically optimize versatile measurement parameters to improve the quality of force-distance curves recorded with a FluidFM. Using single bacterial cells, we show that Single Cell Force Spectroscopy experiments with the FluidFM lead to comparable results to a conventional Single Cell Force Spectroscopy approach using polydopamine for chemical fixation of a bacterial cell.