Phys.org  August 18, 2023 Certain marine bacteria can degrade small-molecule hydrocarbons, but there is still limited understanding on how this process works in biofilms. An international team of researchers (Japan, France, UK) showed that Alcanivorax borkumensis initially formed a spherical biofilm around a droplet of hexadecane, which grew and buckled. This transition was caused by an initial limited interaction with the oil by only some of the cells, followed by rapid cell growth and division that distorts the shape of the biofilm, leading to an increase in the surface area and acceleration in the rate of consumption. They identified a […]