A new method to decoupling of bacterial interactions measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) into specific and nonspecific components is proposed. The new method is based on computing the areas under the approach and retraction curves. To test the efficacy of the new method, AFM was used to probe the repulsion and adhesion energies present between Listeria monocytogenes cells cultured at five pH values (5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) and silicon nitride (Si3N4). Overall adhesion energy was then decoupled into its specific and nonspecific components using the new method as well as using Poisson statistical approach. Poisson statistical method represents the most commonly used approach to decouple bacterial interactions into their components. For all pH conditions investigated, specific energies dominated the adhesion, and a transition in adhesion and repulsion energies for cells cultured at pH 7 was observed. When compared, the differences in the specific and nonspecific energies obtained using Poisson analysis and the new method were on average 2.2 % and 6.7 %, respectively. The relatively close energies obtained using the two approaches demonstrate the efficacy of the new method as an alternative way to decouple adhesion energies into their specific and nonspecific components.

中文翻译：

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一种将 AFM 测量的细菌粘附能解耦为特异性和非特异性成分的新方法


提出了一种将原子力显微镜（AFM）测量的细菌相互作用分解为特异性和非特异性成分的新方法。新方法基于计算接近曲线和回缩曲线下的面积。为了测试新方法的功效，使用 AFM 来探测在五个 pH 值（5、6、7、8 和 9）下培养的单核细胞增生李斯特菌细胞与氮化硅 (Si3N4) 之间存在的排斥和粘附能。然后使用新方法以及泊松统计方法将总体粘附能解耦为其特定和非特定成分。泊松统计方法代表了将细菌相互作用分解为其成分的最常用方法。对于所有研究的 pH 条件，特定能量主导着粘附，并且观察到在 pH 7 下培养的细胞的粘附和排斥能的转变。相比之下，使用泊松分析和新方法获得的比能和非比能的平均差异分别为 2.2% 和 6.7%。使用两种方法获得的相对接近的能量证明了新方法作为将粘附能解耦为其特定和非特定成分的替代方法的有效性。