Femtosecond laser-fabricated biochip for studying symbiosis between Phormidium and seedling root

We present the fabrication of a waveguide-like structure in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer substrate using a femtosecond laser to study the mechanism of symbiosis between filamentous cyanobacteria, Phormidium, and a seedling root. While symbiosis occurring underground promotes the growth of vegetable seedlings, the details of the mechanism remain unclear. Understanding the mechanisms of Phormidium gliding to the seedling root will facilitate improving the mat formation of Phormidium, which will lead to increased vegetable production. We assumed a symbiosis mechanism in which sunlight propagates through the seedling root and is scattered underground to guide the Phormidium gliding. Once attached to the root, Phormidium uses the scattered light for photosynthesis. Photosynthetic products, in turn, promote an increase in Phormidium mat formation and vegetable growth. To verify this assumption, the optical characteristics of the seedling root were investigated. A waveguide-like structure with the same optical characteristics of the root was subsequently fabricated by femtosecond laser in PDMS polymer to assess the light illumination effect on Phormidium behavior.