Biofilms: an emergent form of bacterial life

Bacterial biofilms are formed by communities that are embedded in a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Importantly, bacteria in biofilms exhibit a set of 'emergent properties' that differ substantially from free-living bacterial cells. In this Review, we consider the fundamental role of the biofilm matrix in establishing the emergent properties of biofilms, describing how the characteristic features of biofilms - such as social cooperation, resource capture and enhanced survival of exposure to antimicrobials - all rely on the structural and functional properties of the matrix. Finally, we highlight the value of an ecological perspective in the study of the emergent properties of biofilms, which enables an appreciation of the ecological success of biofilms as habitat formers and, more generally, as a bacterial lifestyle.

Similar articles

Harimawan A, Ting YP. Harimawan A, et al. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2016 Oct 1;146:459-67. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.06.039. Epub 2016 Jun 23. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2016. PMID: 27395039

Andersson S, Dalhammar G, Kuttuva Rajarao G. Andersson S, et al. Microbiol Res. 2011 Sep 20;166(6):449-57. doi: 10.1016/j.micres.2010.08.005. Epub 2010 Sep 24. Microbiol Res. 2011. PMID: 20869860

Lemon DJ, Schutzman DA, Garza AG. Lemon DJ, et al. J Bacteriol. 2018 Mar 12;200(7):e00610-17. doi: 10.1128/JB.00610-17. Print 2018 Apr 1. J Bacteriol. 2018. PMID: 29311278 Free PMC article.

Vu B, Chen M, Crawford RJ, Ivanova EP. Vu B, et al. Molecules. 2009 Jul 13;14(7):2535-54. doi: 10.3390/molecules14072535. Molecules. 2009. PMID: 19633622 Free PMC article. Review.

Böhning J, Tarafder AK, Bharat TAM. Böhning J, et al. Biochem J. 2024 Feb 21;481(4):245-263. doi: 10.1042/BCJ20210301. Biochem J. 2024. PMID: 38358118 Free PMC article. Review.

Cited by

Jia T, Bi X, Li M, Zhang C, Ren A, Li S, Zhou T, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Liu X, Deng Y, Liu B, Li G, Yang L. Jia T, et al. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2024 Sep 11;10(1):82. doi: 10.1038/s41522-024-00550-4. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2024. PMID: 39261499

Gong F, Xin S, Liu X, He C, Yu X, Pan L, Zhang S, Gao H, Xu J. Gong F, et al. Front Microbiol. 2024 Aug 19;15:1445630. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1445630. eCollection 2024. Front Microbiol. 2024. PMID: 39224216 Free PMC article. Review.

Belay WY, Getachew M, Tegegne BA, Teffera ZH, Dagne A, Zeleke TK, Abebe RB, Gedif AA, Fenta A, Yirdaw G, Tilahun A, Aschale Y. Belay WY, et al. Front Pharmacol. 2024 Aug 16;15:1444781. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1444781. eCollection 2024. Front Pharmacol. 2024. PMID: 39221153 Free PMC article. Review.

Goltermann L, Shahryari S, Rybtke M, Tolker-Nielsen T. Goltermann L, et al. Microbiology (Reading). 2024 Aug;170(8):001497. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.001497. Microbiology (Reading). 2024. PMID: 39212539 Free PMC article. Review.

Chen Y, Chauhan S, Gong C, Dayton H, Xu C, De La Cruz ED, Tsai YW, Datta MS, Rosoklija GB, Dwork AJ, Mann JJ, Boldrini M, Leong KW, Dietrich LEP, Tomer R. Chen Y, et al. Nat Biomed Eng. 2024 Aug 29. doi: 10.1038/s41551-024-01249-9. Online ahead of print. Nat Biomed Eng. 2024. PMID: 39209948

References

    1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Jan 15;110(3):848-52 - PubMed
    1. Environ Microbiol. 2015 Jul;17(7):2209-15 - PubMed
    1. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2015;831:1-9 - PubMed
    1. Trends Microbiol. 2005 Jan;13(1):27-33 - PubMed
    1. Annu Rev Microbiol. 2002;56:187-209 - PubMed