The effects of substrates on biofilm growth

Bacteria reproduce and generate extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) to form biofilms, multicellular communities of bacteria often found on surfaces. Biofilms are complex systems where individuals perform specific tasks based on their intracellular signaling networks and the environmental cues that they receive. Several experiments have also observed biofilms expand at rates that depend on substrate stiffness, but the exact mechanisms behind this collective behavior are not well understood. We present an agent-based model to address these observations and suggest a possible mechanism for biofilm expansion on substrates characterized by their stiffness, where the individual's tasks are coupled to nutrient availability and substrate properties. We apply our model to current and ongoing experimental studies of biofilm dynamics and growth on dynamical substrates.