Biological Strategies Against Biofilms

Abstract

Biofilms are microbial aggregates which consist of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) produced by the microorganism itself that adhere to biological environments such as in rivers, streams, and alimentary canal or living tissues of mammals or nonbiological surfaces like in wastewater treatment plant, tickling beds, indwelling medical devices (IMDs), and industrial or potable water system piping. Constituents of EPS are microorganism originated components of homologous proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, and DNA. The formation of biofilm involves the migration of microbial cells, the interaction between them through cell-to-cell signaling, synthesis of EPS, and in later stages, interaction between cell and EPS.

Biofilms have a unique biochemical profile rendering structural integrity to the microorganisms which the planktonic counterparts lack. This structural stability protects them from various troubles present in their environment such as antibiotics, the host’s defense mechanism, harsh nutritive conditions, predators, etc. The survival of microorganisms in biofilms although beneficial to them gives rise to a significant amount of problems in humans in various essential fields including that of medicine and industries like pharmaceutical, food, and marine industries causing adverse health effects as well as economic loses. This resistance of microorganisms, therefore, is a major concern to handle in controlling biofilms. Various traditional strategies to control biofilms of pathogenic/spoilage bacterial species, which are either physical/mechanical removal of biofilms by cleaning, selection of appropriate bactericidal material, preconditioning of surfaces by methods like ultrasonication and plasma treatment, or chemical removal using antimicrobial agents such as disinfectants/sanitizers, are not always successful. In light of the above problems of biofilm control by conventional methods, in recent times, progress has been taking place in the field of fundamental biofilm research discovering novel methods of controlling biofilms. In the current chapter, we tend to discuss these recent and cutting-edge methods which are much more effective as an antibiofilm strategy focusing mainly on the use of biological components such as enzymes, phages, and antimicrobial molecules (AMPs, QS inhibitors) for the improvisation of areas of healthcare and food safety and in industrial processes.