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Survival strategies of infectious biofilms

Survival strategies of infectious biofilms
Survival strategies of infectious biofilms
Modern medicine is facing the spread of biofilm-related infections. Bacterial biofilms are difficult to detect in routine diagnostics and are inherently tolerant to host defenses and antibiotic therapies. In addition, biofilms facilitate the spread of antibiotic resistance by promoting horizontal gene transfer. We review current concepts of biofilm tolerance with special emphasis on the role of the biofilm matrix and the physiology of biofilm-embedded cells. The heterogeneity in metabolic and reproductive activity within a biofilm correlates with a non-uniform susceptibility of enclosed bacteria. Recent studies have documented similar heterogeneity in planktonic cultures. Nutritional starvation and high cell density, two key characteristics of biofilm physiology, also mediate antimicrobial tolerance in stationary-phase planktonic cultures. Advances in characterizing the role of stress response genes, quorum sensing and phase variation in stationary-phase planktonic cultures have shed new light on tolerance mechanisms within biofilm communities.
0966-842X
34-40
Fux, C.A.
d5e858ec-fff4-485f-a894-04dfaf6fb4fe
Costerton, J.W.
1be42ff0-b76b-47e5-83a7-67bd2905dfc4
Stewart, P.S.
c3f7967c-b984-4348-b248-880a6629ab2c
Stoodley, P.
08614665-92a9-4466-806e-20c6daeb483f
Fux, C.A.
d5e858ec-fff4-485f-a894-04dfaf6fb4fe
Costerton, J.W.
1be42ff0-b76b-47e5-83a7-67bd2905dfc4
Stewart, P.S.
c3f7967c-b984-4348-b248-880a6629ab2c
Stoodley, P.
08614665-92a9-4466-806e-20c6daeb483f

Fux, C.A., Costerton, J.W., Stewart, P.S. and Stoodley, P. (2005) Survival strategies of infectious biofilms. Trends in Microbiology, 13 (1), 34-40. (doi:10.1016/j.tim.2004.11.010).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Modern medicine is facing the spread of biofilm-related infections. Bacterial biofilms are difficult to detect in routine diagnostics and are inherently tolerant to host defenses and antibiotic therapies. In addition, biofilms facilitate the spread of antibiotic resistance by promoting horizontal gene transfer. We review current concepts of biofilm tolerance with special emphasis on the role of the biofilm matrix and the physiology of biofilm-embedded cells. The heterogeneity in metabolic and reproductive activity within a biofilm correlates with a non-uniform susceptibility of enclosed bacteria. Recent studies have documented similar heterogeneity in planktonic cultures. Nutritional starvation and high cell density, two key characteristics of biofilm physiology, also mediate antimicrobial tolerance in stationary-phase planktonic cultures. Advances in characterizing the role of stress response genes, quorum sensing and phase variation in stationary-phase planktonic cultures have shed new light on tolerance mechanisms within biofilm communities.

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More information

Published date: January 2005
Organisations: Engineering Mats & Surface Engineerg Gp

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 157105
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/157105
ISSN: 0966-842X
PURE UUID: 7fed36bc-2438-4b01-9817-588861d71c08
ORCID for P. Stoodley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6069-273X

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Date deposited: 08 Jun 2010 16:35
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:55

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Contributors

Author: C.A. Fux
Author: J.W. Costerton
Author: P.S. Stewart
Author: P. Stoodley ORCID iD

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