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Nature Reviews. Microbiology Sep 2023Although new antibiofilm agents have been developed to prevent and eliminate pathogenic biofilms, their widespread clinical use is hindered by poor biocompatibility and... (Review)
Review
Although new antibiofilm agents have been developed to prevent and eliminate pathogenic biofilms, their widespread clinical use is hindered by poor biocompatibility and bioavailability, unspecific interactions and insufficient local concentrations. The development of innovative drug delivery strategies can facilitate penetration of antimicrobials through biofilms, promote drug dispersal and synergistic bactericidal effects, and provide novel paradigms for clinical application. In this Review, we discuss the potential benefits of such emerging techniques for improving the clinical efficacy of antibiofilm agents, as well as highlighting the existing limitations and future prospects for these therapies in the clinic.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Delivery Systems; Anti-Infective Agents; Biofilms
PubMed: 37258686
DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00905-2 -
Infection and Immunity Sep 2023Microbial species colonizing host ecosystems in health or disease rarely do so alone. Organisms conglomerate into dynamic heterotypic communities or biofilms in which... (Review)
Review
Microbial species colonizing host ecosystems in health or disease rarely do so alone. Organisms conglomerate into dynamic heterotypic communities or biofilms in which interspecies and interkingdom interactions drive functional specialization of constituent species and shape community properties, including nososymbiocity or pathogenic potential. Cell-to-cell binding, exchange of signaling molecules, and nutritional codependencies can all contribute to the emergent properties of these communities. Spatial constraints defined by community architecture also determine overall community function. Multilayered interactions thus occur between individual pairs of organisms, and the relative impact can be determined by contextual cues. Host responses to heterotypic communities and impact on host surfaces are also driven by the collective action of the community. Additionally, the range of interspecies interactions can be extended by bacteria utilizing host cells or host diet to indirectly or directly influence the properties of other organisms and the community microenvironment. In contexts where communities transition to a dysbiotic state, their quasi-organismal nature imparts adaptability to nutritional availability and facilitates resistance to immune effectors and, moreover, exploits inflammatory and acidic microenvironments for their persistence.
Topics: Humans; Social Networking; Biofilms; Dysbiosis; Microbiota
PubMed: 37594277
DOI: 10.1128/iai.00124-23 -
Critical Reviews in Biotechnology Dec 2023The increased presence of xenobiotics affects living organisms and the environment at large on a global scale. Microbial degradation is effective for the removal of... (Review)
Review
The increased presence of xenobiotics affects living organisms and the environment at large on a global scale. Microbial degradation is effective for the removal of xenobiotics from the ecosystem. In natural habitats, biofilms are formed by single or multiple populations attached to biotic/abiotic surfaces and interfaces. The attachment of microbial cells to these surfaces is possible the matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs). However, the molecular machinery underlying the development of biofilms differs depending on the microbial species. Biofilms act as biocatalysts and degrade xenobiotic compounds, thereby removing them from the environment. Quorum sensing (QS) helps with biofilm formation and is linked to the development of biofilms in natural contaminated sites. To date, scant information is available about the biofilm-mediated degradation of toxic chemicals from the environment. Therefore, we review novel insights into the impact of microbial biofilms in xenobiotic contamination remediation, the regulation of biofilms in contaminated sites, and the implications for large-scale xenobiotic compound treatment.
Topics: Xenobiotics; Ecosystem; Biofilms; Quorum Sensing
PubMed: 36170978
DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2106417 -
Trends in Biotechnology Sep 2023Hydrovoltaic electricity generation (HEG) utilizes the latent environmental heat stored in water, and subsequently harvests the electrical energy. However, sustainable... (Review)
Review
Hydrovoltaic electricity generation (HEG) utilizes the latent environmental heat stored in water, and subsequently harvests the electrical energy. However, sustainable HEG has remained extremely challenging due either to complex fabrication and high cost, or to restricted environmental compatibility and renewability. Electroactive microorganisms are environmentally abundant and viable in performing directional electron transport to produce currents. These distinctive features have inspired microbial HEG systems that can convert environmental energy into hygroelectricity upon water circulation from raindrops, waves, and water moisture, and has recently succeeded as proof of concept for becoming a cutting-edge biotechnology. In this review, recent advances in microbial biofilm-based hydrovoltaic technology are highlighted to better understand a promising method of electricity generation from environmental energy with the aim of practical applications.
Topics: Bioelectric Energy Sources; Electricity; Biotechnology; Biofilms; Electrons; Electrodes
PubMed: 37085401
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.03.012 -
Research in Microbiology 2024Biofilms have been recognized as a serious threat to public health as it protects microbes from antimicrobials, immune defence mechanisms, chemical treatments and... (Review)
Review
Biofilms have been recognized as a serious threat to public health as it protects microbes from antimicrobials, immune defence mechanisms, chemical treatments and nutritional stress. Biofilms are also a source of concern in industries and water treatment because their presence compromises the integrity of equipment. To overcome these problems, it is necessary to identify novel anti-biofilm compounds. Products of microorganisms have been identified as promising broad-spectrum anti-biofilm agents. These natural products include biosurfactants, antimicrobial peptides, enzymes and bioactive compounds. Anti-biofilm products of microbial origin are chemically diverse and possess a broad spectrum of activities against biofilms. The objective of this review is to give an overview of the different types of microbial anti-biofilm products and their mechanisms of action.
Topics: Anti-Infective Agents; Biofilms; Biological Products; Public Health; Anti-Bacterial Agents
PubMed: 37844786
DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104111 -
International Endodontic Journal Jul 2024Microorganisms are the primary aetiological factor of apical periodontitis. The goal of endodontic treatment is to prevent and eliminate the infection by removing the... (Review)
Review
Microorganisms are the primary aetiological factor of apical periodontitis. The goal of endodontic treatment is to prevent and eliminate the infection by removing the microorganisms. However, microbial biofilms and the complex root canal anatomy impair the disinfection process. Effective and precise endodontic therapy could potentially be achieved using advanced multifunctional technologies that have the ability to access hard-to-reach surfaces and perform simultaneous biofilm killing, removal, and detection of microorganisms. Advances in microrobotics are providing novel therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities with high precision and efficacy to address current biofilm-related challenges in biomedicine. Concurrently, multifunctional magnetic microrobots have been developed to overcome the disinfection challenges of current approaches to disrupt, kill, and retrieve biofilms with the goal of enhancing the efficacy and precision of endodontic therapy. This article reviews the recent advances of microrobotics in healthcare and particularly advances to overcome disinfection challenges in endodontics, and provides perspectives for future research in the field.
Topics: Humans; Biofilms; Disinfection; Robotics; Endodontics; Periapical Periodontitis; Root Canal Therapy; Dental Pulp Cavity
PubMed: 38761098
DOI: 10.1111/iej.14082 -
Food Microbiology Dec 2023Sherry wines are film wines produced in the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry and Montilla-Moriles regions in southern Spain which require an aging process under flor biofilms, known...
Sherry wines are film wines produced in the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry and Montilla-Moriles regions in southern Spain which require an aging process under flor biofilms, known as "biological aging". The presence of mites in Sherry wine wineries has been reported and associated with improved wine volatile properties. This work analyzes the microbial diversity in flor biofilms and mites in Sherry wine wineries using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) and ITS/gene amplification. Two mite species, Carpoglyphus lactis and Tyrophagus putrescentiae, were spotted in the sampled winery and 32 microorganism species were identified in their exoskeleton or surrounding biofilms. To our knowledge, 26 of these species were never described before in sherry wine environments. We hypothesized that mites feed on the flor biofilms as well as another type of biofilm located in barrel cracks, known by winemakers as "natas" (cream in English). These non-studied biofilms showed the highest microbiome diversity among all samples (followed by C. lactis spotted nearby) thus, representing a niche of microorganisms with potential biotechnological interest. Besides mites, Drosophila flies were spotted in the sampling areas. The role of flies and mites as vectors that transport microorganisms among different niches (i.e., flor biofilms and natas) is discussed.
Topics: Animals; Mites; Wine; Biofilms; Biotechnology; Food
PubMed: 37689427
DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2023.104366 -
Infection, Genetics and Evolution :... Aug 2023Biofilm-related infections are resistant forms of pathogens that are regarded as a medical problem, particularly due to the spread of multiple drug resistance. One of... (Review)
Review
Biofilm-related infections are resistant forms of pathogens that are regarded as a medical problem, particularly due to the spread of multiple drug resistance. One of the factors associated with biofilm drug resistance is the presence of various types of efflux pumps in bacteria. Efflux pumps also play a role in biofilm formation by influencing Physical-chemical interactions, mobility, gene regulation, quorum sensing (QS), extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and toxic compound extrusion. According to the findings of studies based on efflux pump expression analysis, their role in the anatomical position within the biofilm will differ depending on the biofilm formation stage, encoding gene expression level, the type and concentration of substrate. In some cases, the function of the efflux pumps can overlap with each other, so it seems necessary to accurate identify the efflux pumps of biofilm-forming bacteria along with their function in this process. Such studies will help to choose treatment strategy, at least in combination with antibiotics. Furthermore, if the goal of treatment is an efflux pump manipulation, we should not limit it to inhibition.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Biofilms; Quorum Sensing; Bacteria
PubMed: 37271271
DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105459 -
Microbiology (Reading, England) Dec 2023In this primer on biofilms and their role in infections, we trace the historical roots of microbial understanding from Van Leeuwenhoek's observations to Bill Costerton's...
In this primer on biofilms and their role in infections, we trace the historical roots of microbial understanding from Van Leeuwenhoek's observations to Bill Costerton's groundbreaking work, which solidified biofilms' significance in infections. biofilm research, investigating patient samples and utilizing diverse host models, has yielded invaluable insights into these complex microbial communities. However, it comes with several challenges, particularly regarding replicating biofilm infections accurately in the laboratory. biofilm analyses involve various techniques, revealing biofilm architecture, composition, and behaviour, while gaps in knowledge persist regarding infection initiation and source, diversity, and the Infectious Microenvironment (IME). Ultimately, the study of biofilms in infections remains a dynamic and evolving field poised to transform our approach to combat biofilm-associated diseases.
Topics: Humans; Biofilms; Infections
PubMed: 38050845
DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001407 -
Microbial Ecology Nov 2023Hot spring biofilms are stable, highly complex microbial structures. They form at dynamic redox and light gradients and are composed of microorganisms adapted to the...
Hot spring biofilms are stable, highly complex microbial structures. They form at dynamic redox and light gradients and are composed of microorganisms adapted to the extreme temperatures and fluctuating geochemical conditions of geothermal environments. In Croatia, a large number of poorly investigated geothermal springs host biofilm communities. Here, we investigated the microbial community composition of biofilms collected over several seasons at 12 geothermal springs and wells. We found biofilm microbial communities to be temporally stable and highly dominated by Cyanobacteria in all but one high-temperature sampling site (Bizovac well). Of the physiochemical parameters recorded, temperature had the strongest influence on biofilm microbial community composition. Besides Cyanobacteria, the biofilms were mainly inhabited by Chloroflexota, Gammaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidota. In a series of incubations with Cyanobacteria-dominated biofilms from Tuhelj spring and Chloroflexota- and Pseudomonadota-dominated biofilms from Bizovac well, we stimulated either chemoorganotrophic or chemolithotrophic community members, to determine the fraction of microorganisms dependent on organic carbon (in situ predominantly produced via photosynthesis) versus energy derived from geochemical redox gradients (here simulated by addition of thiosulfate). We found surprisingly similar levels of activity in response to all substrates in these two distinct biofilm communities, and observed microbial community composition and hot spring geochemistry to be poor predictors of microbial activity in the study systems.
Topics: Hot Springs; Croatia; Cyanobacteria; Temperature; Chloroflexi; Biofilms; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 37209180
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02239-1