Chronic sinusitis is notorious for evading antibiotic therapies and presenting the patient with decreased immunity and sinus function. Researchers are investigating the presence of biofilms in chronic sinusitis as a key element of antibiotic resistance.
UC Berkeley Researcher, Veysel Berk, has utilized super-resolution microscopy to image these biofilms to explore the diverse microbiologic communities that comprise them and determine potential drugs based on genetic information discovered. The new super-resolution microscopy technique enables researchers to view bacteria formation and gives more insights on the scaffolding within these biofilms.
The new technique utilizes continuous immunostaining that allowed Berk to track four separate target molecules with four separate fluorescent dyes.
“The classical approach is first staining, then destaining, then taking only a single snapshot.” Berk continued, “We found a way to do staining and keep all the fluorescent probes inside the solution while we do the imaging, so we can continuously monitor everything, starting from a single cell all the way to a mature biofilm. Instead of one snapshot, we are recording a whole movie.”