@article {4236,
	title = {Micro-compression analysis of biopolymer-producing bacteria using Cupriavidus necator as the model bacterium},
	journal = {The Cell Surface},
	volume = {15},
	year = {2026},
	pages = {100171},
	abstract = {<p>With the development of highly sensitive experimental techniques, the mechanical properties of bacterial cells have become an important research topic. However, existing models used to fit experimental data from micro-compression tests often lack accuracy. The aim of this study was to address this limitation by developing a new curve-fitting mathematical model for evaluating the mechanical properties of rod-shaped bacterial cells. The proposed model is based on a thin-shell approach and is specifically designed for the interpretation of single-cell micro-compression experiments. To verify the applicability of the model, single-cell micro-compression tests were performed using a flat-punch nanoindenter tip larger than the bacterial cells. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to obtain detailed morphological information, including precise cell dimensions required for curve fitting. As a model organism, the polyhydroxyalkanoate-producing bacterium Cupriavidus necator H16 was selected due to its ability to accumulate intracellular polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) granules. For comparison, a mutant strain, C. necator PHB-4, which lacks PHB production, was also analyzed. The results showed that C. necator H16 cells, with an average PHB content of 72\% of dry cell weight, exhibited a Young{\textquoteright}s modulus approximately 16{\texttimes} higher than that of the PHB-4 mutant, indicating a substantial contribution of intracellular PHB granules to cell stiffness. AFM analysis further revealed that PHB-producing cells were, on average, larger in volume than the non-producing mutant. The combination of AFM and micro-compression testing enabled comprehensive characterization of bacterial cell mechanics and demonstrated a clear correlation between PHB content and mechanical behaviour.</p>},
	keywords = {AIF, MF},
	issn = {2468-2330},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcsw.2026.100171},
	url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468233026000046},
	author = {Marketa Khyrova and Josef Sepitka and Vojtech Cerny and Jaroslav Lukes and Eva Slaninova and Tomas Plichta}
}
