Fig. 6: Colony spreading on planar surfaces.

a–c Simulation snapshots of spreading colonies. Depending on the dissociation rate constant of pilus-surface bonds, k_plane, colonies undergo a partial or complete wetting transition. d A complete wetting occurs when k_plane ≪ k_rupt = 2 s⁻¹. e The time dependence of the diameter of the spreading colony, d_surface, obeys approximately a power law. If not given otherwise, pilus-substrate-binding rates and rupture forces are assumed to be the same as for pilus–pilus bonds, see Table 1. Error bars represent standard deviations from samples of three simulations.