Next‐generation studies of microbial biofilm communities

Abstract

SummaryAs we look into the future of microbial biofilm research, there is clearly an emerging focus on communities rather than populations. This represents an essential change in direction to more accurately understand how and why microorganisms assemble into communities, as well as the functional implications for such a life style. For example, current research studies shows that communities display emergent properties or functions that are not predicted from the individual single species populations, including elevated stress tolerance and resistance to antibiotics. Models for mixed species biofilms can be very simple, comprised only a handful of species or can be extremely species rich, with hundreds or thousands of species present. The future holds much promise for this area of research, where investigators will increasingly be able to resolve, at the molecular and biochemical levels, interspecies relationships and mechanisms of interaction. The outcome of these studies will greatly enhance our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary factors that drive community function in natural and engineered systems.

Electricity from methane by reversing methanogenesis

“…We focused on using a consortium since most environmental processes occur within consortia35, and natural anaerobic methane oxidation involves consortia23.…”

Monitoring of Wild Pseudomonas Biofilm Strain Conditions Using Statistical Characterization of Scanning Electron Microscopy Images

“…Bacterial biofilms are three-dimensional sessile structures consisting of bacteria encapsulated within hydrated extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on a substrate 32 . The exopolysaccharide matrix facilitates irreversible attachment between the biofilm cells and the substrate while simultaneously maintaining intercellular interactions, giving rise to a biofilm architecture specific to a particular substrate and definite bacterial strain 33 .…”

A technology for the investigation of biofilm transmission under shearing pressures

“…Bacteria in biofilms are generally embedded in a self‐produced extrapolymeric matrix that mainly consists of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. This extracellular matrix is responsible for providing adhesiveness, cohesiveness, stability and three‐dimensional architecture to the biofilm (Abee et al ., ; Domenech et al ., ; Flemming, ; Rice et al ., ).…”

“…This human health problem is often due to increased resistance of biofilms to different environmental stresses and antimicrobial agents (Davies, ; Van Acker et al ., ; Flemming et al ., ). Importantly, natural biofilms typically consist of multiple bacterial species, and some studies have demonstrated that mixed biofilms exhibit greater resistance to stressors than single‐species biofilms (van der Veen and Abee, ; Lee et al ., ; Rice et al ., ).…”

“…screening bacterial mutants), environmental cues and antibiofilm agents (i.e. bacteriophage cocktails) affect biofilm stability, dispersal and transmission (Donlan, ; Abee et al ., ; Domenech et al ., ; Alves et al ., ; Petrova and Sauer, ; Rice et al ., ; Guilhen et al ., ). For example, Gusnaniar et al .…”