Nano-biofilm Arrays as a Novel Universal Platform for Microscale Microbial Culture and High-Throughput Downstream Applications

Abstract

Biofilms are the predominant mode of microbial growth and it is now fully accepted that a majority of infections in humans are associated with a biofilm etiology. Biofilms are defined as attached and structured microbial communities surrounded by a protective exopolymeric matrix. Importantly, sessile microorganisms growing within a biofilm are highly resistant to antimicrobial agents. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new and improved anti-biofilm therapies. Unfortunately, most of the current techniques for in vitro biofilm formation are not compatible with high throughput screening techniques that can speed up discovery of new drugs with anti-biofilm activity. To try to overcome this major impediment, our group has developed a novel technique consisting of micro-scale culture of microbial biofilms on a microarray platform. Using this technique, hundreds to thousands of microbial biofilms, each with a volume of approximately 30–50 nanolitres, can be simultaneously formed on a standard microscope slide. Despite more than three orders of magnitude of miniaturization over conventional biofilms, these nanobiofilms display similar growth, structural and phenotypic properties, including antibiotic drug resistance. These nanobiofilm chips are amenable to automation, drastically reducing assay volume and costs. This technique platform allows for true high-throughput screening in search for new anti-biofilm drugs.

Identification of distinct characteristics of antibiofilm peptides and prospection of diverse sources for efficacious sequences

“…Once established, biofilms have the potential to initiate or prolong infections by providing a safe sanctuary from which organisms can invade local tissue, seed new infection sites and resist eradication efforts. Both bacteria and fungi form biofilms on abiotic (e.g., catheters and implants) or biotic (e.g., skin, wounds) surfaces [2, 3]. Cells within the biofilms display high levels of resistance against clinically-administered antibiotics, which often leads to morbidity and mortality [4].…”

Alternatives Approaches to Treat Biofilm’s Infections

“…Srinivasan et al [2] alerted to the fact that most of the current techniques for in vitro biofilm formation are not compatible with high throughput screening techniques that can speed up the discovery of new drugs with antibiofilm activity. In order to overcome this problem, the group gave insight into a new method: a microscale culture of microbial biofilms on a microarray platform.…”