Formation of <i>in vitro</i> biofilm of <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i>.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Kinetics of biofilm formation visualized in CLSM: 8 h (1), 12 h (2) and 24 h (3) after inoculation. (<b>B</b>) 24 h–old biofilm in SEM: general aspect of Af biofilm (1), hyphae embedded in ECM and presence of conidia (2), ECM with holes (3). ECM = extracellular matrix, C = conidia.</p

Growth of <i>S</i>. <i>maltophilia</i> and <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> in the single and mixed biofilms.

<p>Data are expressed in log of CE or BE/mL as measured by qPCR over 24h and presented in the form of mean±SE. Sm = <i>S</i>. <i>maltophilia</i>, Af = <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i>. The experiment was repeated 3 times, using 3 wells per biofilm. Results are expressed in mean±SE, * p < 0.05 compared with the single biofilms.</p

<i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> and mixed biofilms thicknesses.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Means of <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> and mixed biofilms thicknesses after 24 h of culture (<b>B</b>) CLSM observations of 24 h-old biofilms thicknesses inoculated on Lab-Tek^TM slides. Sm = <i>S</i>. <i>maltophilia</i>, Af = <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i>. For each biofilm, 50 measurements were taken. Results are expressed in mean±SE, * <i>p</i> < 0.0001.</p

Formation of <i>in vitro</i> mixed biofilm of <i>S</i>. <i>maltophilia</i> and <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i>.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Kinetics of mixed biofilm formation visualized in CLSM: 8 h (1), 12 h (2) and 24 h (3) after inoculation. (<b>B</b>) 24 h–old biofilm in SEM: general aspect of mixed biofilm (1), bacteria covering <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> hyphae and embedded in ECM (2), bacteria between hyphae and embedded in ECM (3). ECM = extracellular matrix.</p

Cell wall thickness of <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> in the single and mixed biofilms.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Observation on 24 h–old single <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> biofilm (1–2) and mixed biofilm (3–4) by TEM (<b>B</b>) Cell wall thickness of <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> measured on TEM images of the single and mixed biofilms. H = hyphae, B = bacteria, CW = cell wall, ECM = extracellular matrix, Sm = <i>S</i>. <i>maltophilia</i>, Af = <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i>. For each biofilm, approximately 15 measurements on 27 hyphae were taken. Results are expressed in mean±SE, * <i>p</i> < 0.0001.</p

Formation of <i>in vitro</i> biofilm of <i>S</i>. <i>maltophilia</i> observed by SEM.

<p>(<b>A-B</b>) Single biofilm of <i>S</i>. <i>maltophilia</i> after 24 h of culture. ECM = extracellular matrix.</p

Characteristics of <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> in Association with <i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i> in an <i>In Vitro</i> Model of Mixed Biofilm - Fig 5

<p><b>Conidiation and phenotype of <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> in the mixed biofilm visualized on SEM (A, B) and CLSM (C, D).</b> (<b>A, C</b>) 24 h-old single <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> biofilm (A’) zoom on the presence of conidial head (<b>B, D</b>) 24 h-old mixed biofilm of <i>A</i>. <i>fumigatus</i> and <i>S</i>. <i>maltophilia</i>. Grey circle represents conidial head of <i>A. fumigatus</i> which is only present in the single biofilm.</p