Lehrgebiet für Bioverfahrenstechnik (BioVT)

Biofilms on microstructured surfaces (subproject C03 in SFB 926)

(German title: Biofilme auf mikrostrukturierten Oberflächen (Teilprojekt C03 im SFB 926) )
Subproject in the SFB 926 “Component Surfaces: Morphology on the Microscale”

Biofilms are often associated with biofouling in technical equipment and pathogenic microorganisms on medical devices. Although the use of biofilm reactors offers a number of advantages, the economic significance of such biofilm-utilizing processes is very limited (e.g. acetic acid production). The production organisms are immobilized in a biogenic matrix on a substrate, whereby the matrix is generated by the cells themselves and has no toxic effects on the organisms. Due to the self-immobilization, the biofilm reactors have service lives that are many times longer than those of conventional submerged or emersed processes. In addition, continuous production processes can be established thanks to the automatic cell retention. The use of microstructured metallic surfaces, which is being promoted as part of the project, is intended to open up new fields of application for biofilms. The thermal sterilizability and the possible reuse of the substrate are advantageous. However, in order to realize such technical production processes, a deeper understanding of biofilm and product formation as a function of the surface structure of the substrate and the material itself is required. The aim of the sub-project is to gain fundamental information on the interaction of microorganisms with microstructured metallic surfaces. The surfaces are exposed to model microorganisms in a novel bioreactor system. Biofilm formation will be investigated using non-invasive methods and confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Publications and conference papers

  • R. Ulber, S. Antonyuk, J. C. Aurich, T. Beck, M. Bozoglu, G. von Freymann, S. Kieren-Ehses, C. Müller-Renno, K.Muffler, A. Schmeckebier, C. Schönecker, J. Seewig, M. Smaga, J. Stiefelmaier, D. Strieth, A. Zayed, C. Ziegler, S. Zimmermann, Manufacturing-Morphology-Property Relationships for Biofilms; in: J.C. Aurich, H. Hasse (Eds.); Component Surfaces - Manufacturing-Morphology-Property Relationships; Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing, 2024, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35575-2_17 
  • A. Schmeckebier, A. Zayed, R. Ulber, Productive biofilms: from prokaryotic to eukaryotic systems, Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 2022, DOI: 10.1002/jctb.7208
  • A. Mehring, N. Erdmann, J. Stiefelmaier, D. Strieth, J. Walther, R. Ulber; A simple and low-cost resazurin assay for vitality assessment across species; J. of Biotechnol. (2021) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiotec.2021.04.010
  • A. Zayed, M. El-Aasr, A.-R. Ibrahim, R. Ulber;  Fucoidans characterization: Determination of purity, physico-chemical, and chemical characters for reliable health-promoting benefits; Marine Drugs (2020) https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/18/11/571
  • J. Chodorski, J. Hauth, D. Strieth, A. Wirsen, R. Ulber; Diffusion profiles in L. lactis biofilms under different conditions; Eng. Life Sc. (2020) http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/elsc.202000059
  • A. Mehring, J. Haffelder, J. Chodorski, J. Stiefelmaier, D. Strieth, R. Ulber; Establishment and triterpenoid production of Ocimum basilicum cambial meristematic cells; Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (2020) DOI : 10.1007/s11240-020-01942-y
  • J. Stiefelmaier, D. Strieth, S. Di Nonno, N. Erdmann, K. Muffler, R. Ulber; Characterization of terrestrial phototrophic biofilms of cyanobacterial species; Algal Research (2020) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2020.101996
  • J. Chodorski, D. Kleine, R. Ulber, Der Brückenschlag zwischen Makro- und Mikroebene - Bildgebene Verfahren in der Biofilmanalytik; GIT Laborjournal (2020) Ausgabe 4 https://www.git-labor.de/forschung/life-sciences-biotechnologie/der-brueckenschlag-zwischen-makro-und-mikroebene
  • M. Engel, A. Gemünde, D. Holtmann, C. Müller-Renno, C. Ziegler, N. Tippkötter, R. Ulber; Clostridium acetobutylicum’s connecting world: cell appendage formation in bioelectrochemical systems; ChemElectroChem (2019) https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.201901656
  • D. Kleine, J. Chodorski, S. Mitra, C. Schlegel, K. Huttenlochner, C. Müller Renno, J. Mukherjee, C. Ziegler, R. Ulber; Monitoring of biofilms grown on differentially structured metallic surfaces using confocal laser scanning microscopy; Eng. Lif. Sc. (2019) doi: 10.1002/elsc.201800176
  • D. Kleine, A. Maus, R. Ulber: Unterschiede in der Genexpresion von produktiven Biofilmen, Chem. Ing. Tech. 90 (2018) 1261-1261
  • D. Strieth, R. Ulber, K. Muffler: Application of phototrophic biofilms: From fundamentals to Processes, Bioproc. Biosys. Eng. 41 (2018) 295–312 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-017-1870-3
  • K. Huttenlochner, N. Davoudi, C. Schlegel, M. Bohley, C. Müller-Renno, J.C. Aurich, R. Ulber, C. Ziegler: Paracoccus seriniphilus adhered on surfaces: Resistance of a seawater bacterium against shear forces under the influence of roughness, surface energy, and zeta potential of the surfaces, Biointerphases 13 (2018) 051003 DOI: 10.1116/1.5049226
  • L. Hofherr, J. Chodorski, C. Müller-Renno, R. Ulber, C. Ziegler: Comparison of Versatile Immobilization Methods for Gram-positive Bacteria on a Silicon Cantilever, Phys. Status Solidi A 215 (2018) 1700846
  • J.F. Chignell, C. Schlegel, R. Ulber, K.F. Reardon: Quantitative proteomic analysis of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis biofilms, AIChE Journal 64 (2018) 4341-4350; DOI 10.1002/aic.16449
  • C. Schlegel, J. Chodorski, M. Huster, N. Davoudi, K. Huttenlochner, M. Bohley, I. Reichenbach, S. Buhl, P. Breuninger, C. Müller-Renno, C. Ziegler, J. Aurich, S. Antonyuk, R. Ulber: Influence of Micro Structured Metallic Surfaces on the Productivity of Biofilms in Flow Cells, Eng. Life Sc. 17 (2017) 865–873 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.201700045
  • D. Strieth, J. Schwing, S. Kuhne, M. Lakatos, K. Muffler, R. Ulber: A semi-continuous process based on an ePBR for the production of EPS using Trichocoleus sociatus, J. Biotechnol. 256 (2017) 6-12 http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.jbiotec.2017.06.1205
  • C. Rösch, F. Kratz, T. Hering, S. Trautmann, N. Umanskaya, N. Tippkötter, C. Müller-Renno, R. Ulber, M. Hannig, C. Ziegler: Albumin-lysozyme interactions: Cooperative adsorption on titanium and enzymatic activity, Colloid. Surface. B 149 (2017) 115-121 dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.09.048
  • K. Huttenlochner, C. Müller-Renno, C. Ziegler, R. Merz, B. Merz, M. Kopnarski, J. Chodorski, C. Schlegel, R. Ulber: Removing biofilms from stainless steel without changing surface properties relevant for bacterial attachment, Biointerphases 12 (2017) 02C404 DOI: 10.1116/1.4982196
  • N. Davoudi, K. Huttenlochner, J. Chodorski, C. Schlegel, M. Huster, M. Bohley, C. Müller-Renno, J. C. Aurich, R. Ulber, C. Ziegler: Adhesion forces of the seawater bacterium Paracoccus seriniphilus on titanium: influence of microstructures and environmental conditions, Biointerphases 12, 05G606 (2017).
  • M. Stöckl, C. Schlegel, A. Sydow, D. Holtmann, R. Ulber, K.-M. Mangold: Membrane Separated Flow Cell for Parallelized Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy to Characterize Electro-Active Microorganisms, Electrochem. Acta 220 (2016) 444–452 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.057
  • H. Hasse, S. Antonyuk, R. Ulber: Bauteiloberflächen – Morphologie auf der Mikroskala, Chem. Ing. Tech. 88 (2016) 1298-1298.
  • M. Huster, C. Müller-Renno, C. Ziegler, C. Schlegel, R. Ulber, K. Muffler: 1,2Chloroperoxidase Production by Caldariomyces fumago Biofilms, Eng. Life Sci. 16 (2016) 88–92.
  • B. Ludwig, D. Geib, C. Haas, J. Steingroewerb, T. Bley, K. Muffler, R. Ulber: Whole-cell biotransformation of oleanolic acid by free and immobilized cells of Nocardia iowensis: Characterization of new metabolites, Eng. Life Sciences 15 (2015) 108-115.
  • N. Davoudi, C. Müller-Renno, C. Schlegel, K. Muffler, R. Ulber, C. Ziegler: Nanomechanical Properties of the Sea-water Bacterium Paracoccus seriniphilus – a Scanning Force Microscopy Approach, Biointerphases 10 (2015), 019004.
  • M. Fingerle, O. Köhler, C. Rösch, F. Kratz, C. Scheibe, N. Davoudi, M. Bohley, J. C. Aurich, M. Huster, C. Schlegel, R. Ulber, C. Müller-Renno, C. Ziegler: Cleaning of titanium substrates after application in a bioreactor, Biointerphases 10 (2015), 019007 https://avs.scitation.org/doi/10.1116/1.4907754
  • H. Al-Kaidy, A. Duwe, M. Huster, K. Muffler, C. Schlegel, T. Sieker, R. Stadtmüller, N. Tippkötter, R. Ulber: Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering - Form the first Ullmanns article to recent trends, Chem. Ing. Tech. 86 (2014) 2215-2225.
  • S. Kuhne, D. Strieth, M. Lakatos, K. Muffler, R. Ulber: A new photobioreactor concept enabling the production of desiccation induced biotechnological products using terrestrial cyanobacteria, J. Biotechnol. 192 (2014) 28-33 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2014.10.002
  • K. Muffler, R. Ulber (Eds.): Productive Biofilms; Adv. Biochem. Eng. Biotechnol., Springer Verlag Berlin Heidelberg (2014). DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-09695-7.
  • C. Müller-Renno, S. Buhl, N. Davoudi, J. C. Aurich, S. Ripperger, R. Ulber, K. Muffler, Ch. Ziegler: Novel Materials for biofilm reactors and their characterization, Adv. Biochem. Eng. Biotechnol. 146 (2014) 207-233.
  • K. Muffler, M. Lakatos, C. Schlegel, D. Strieth, S. Kuhne, R. Ulber: Application of biofilm bioreactors in white biotechnology, Adv. Biochem. Eng. Biotechnol. 146 (2014) 123-161.
  • K. Muffler, C. Schlegel, C. Ziegler, J. C. Aurich, R. Ulber: Produktive Biofilme - Wechselwirkung zwischen Oberflächenmorphologie & Stoffwechsel, Biospektrum 2 (2013) 216-217
  • C. Schlegel, N. Wesuls, A. Pasteur, C. Müller, I. Reichenbach, C. Ziegler, J. Aurich, K. Muffler, R. Ulber: Charakterisierung produktiver Biofilme auf mikrostrukturierten Bauteiloberflächen, Proceedings zum 16. Heiligenstädter Kolloquium, Heiligenstadt (2012) 63-67. ISBN: 978-3-00-039458-4 

 

Presentations (since 2022)

  • A. Schmeckebier, R. Ulber, Productive Biofilms on microstructured surfaces, Himmelfahrtstagung on Bioprocess Engineering 2022 - Future Bioprocesses for a Sustainable Industry (2022); Mainz, Germany
  • Schmeckebier, A. Zayed, R. Ulber, Influence of the surface on eukaryotic biofilms, ProcessNet and DECHEMA-BioTechNet Jahrestagungen 2022 together with 13th ESBES Symposium – (Bio)Process Engineering – a Key to Sustainable Development (2022); Aachen, Germany
  • A. Schmeckebier, A. Zayed, R. Ulber, Influence of different surfaces on Aspergillus niger biofilms, 14th European Congress of Chemical Engineering and 7th European Congress of Applied Biotechnology (2023); Berlin, Deutschland

Poster (since 2022)

  • A. Schmeckebier, A. Zayed, R. Ulber: Productive Biofilms on Microstructured Surfaces, International Conference on Microscale Morphology of Component Surfaces - MICOS (2023); Bad Dürkheim, Germany