Abstract
Biofilm formation is a multistep process that requires initial contact between a bacterial cell and a surface substrate. Recent work has shown that nanoscale topologies impact bacterial cell viability; however, less is understood about how nanoscale surface properties impact other aspects of bacterial behavior. In this study, we examine the adhesive, viability, morphology, and colonization behavior of the bacterium Escherichia coli on 21 plasma-etched polymeric surfaces. Although we predicted that specific nanoscale surface structures of the surface would control specific aspects of bacterial behavior, we observed no correlation between any bacterial response or surface structures/properties. Instead, it appears that the surface composition of the polymer plays the most significant role in controlling and determining a bacterial response to a substrate, although changes to a polymeric surface via plasma etching alter initial bacteria colonization and morphology.