Anti-Larval and Anti-Algal Natural Products from Marine Microorganisms as Sources of Anti-Biofilm Agents

Abstract

Bacteria growing inside biofilms are more resistant to hostile environments, conventional antibiotics, and mechanical stresses than their planktonic counterparts. It is estimated that more than 80% of microbial infections in human patients are biofilm-based, and biofouling induced by the biofilms of some bacteria causes serious ecological and economic problems throughout the world. Therefore, exploring highly effective anti-biofilm compounds has become an urgent demand for the medical and marine industries. Marine microorganisms, a well-documented and prolific source of natural products, provide an array of structurally distinct secondary metabolites with diverse biological activities. However, up to date, only a handful of anti-biofilm natural products derived from marine microorganisms have been reported. Meanwhile, it is worth noting that some promising antifouling (AF) compounds from marine microbes, particularly those that inhibit settlement of fouling invertebrate larvae and algal spores, can be considered as potential anti-biofilm agents owing to the well-known knowledge of the correlations between biofilm formation and the biofouling process of fouling organisms. In this review, a total of 112 anti-biofilm, anti-larval, and anti-algal natural products from marine microbes and 26 of their synthetic analogues are highlighted from 2000 to 2021. These compounds are introduced based on their microbial origins, and then categorized into the following different structural groups: fatty acids, butenolides, terpenoids, steroids, phenols, phenyl ethers, polyketides, alkaloids, flavonoids, amines, nucleosides, and peptides. The preliminary structure-activity relationships (SAR) of some important compounds are also briefly discussed. Finally, current challenges and future research perspectives are proposed based on opinions from many previous reviews.

Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effects of carotenoid pigment extracted from Rhodotorula glutinis strain on food-borne bacteria

“…These results were compatible with those of the MtP assay and scanning electron microscopy. Researchers have used many natural compounds up to now such as algae ( 37 , 38 ), extracts from medicinal plants such as the mint family ( 39 ), substances in some fruits such as carrot, tomato, pepper, and garlic ( 9 , 40 ) materials extracted from fish intestine and from microorganisms ( 41 ), and materials and substances obtained from soil and sea ( 42 ) as QS suppressants. However, no research has been conducted on Rhodotorula pigment or on its effect on expression of QS genes.…”

Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Vibrio natriegens—Infecting Phage and Its Potential Therapeutic Application in Abalone Aquaculture

“…The capabilities of extracellular electron transfer and biofilm formation provide a mechanistic explanation for the detrimental effects of V. natriegens [ 63 , 64 ]. Biofilms also contribute to antibiotic resistance in V. natriegens pathogens [ 65 , 66 ]. The existence of pathogenic, biofouling, and metal-corroding strains in V. natriegens revealed the necessity to evaluate systematically the biologically- and environmentally-detrimental potentials of any new V. natriegens strains before they can be used for bioengineering and biotechnological applications [ 52 ].…”

Enhanced antifouling properties of marine antimicrobial peptides by PEGylation

“…Generally, biofouling consists of four typical stages; the formation of conditioning film, biofilm, soft macrofouling community and hard macrofouling community ( Rosenhahn et al, 2010 ). Among them, biofilm formed by bacteria is a crucial stage, which acts as an adhesive to fix macrofoulers firmly on the submerged surfaces ( Jain and Bhosle, 2009 ; Wang et al, 2022 ). Therefore, ways to reduce the settlement of bacteria on subaqueous surfaces are strategic to prevent biofouling.…”