Bacteriophages and Biofilms
Biofilms are an extremely common adaptation, allowing bacteria to colonize hostile environments. They present unique problems for antibiotics and biocides, both due to the nature of the extracellular matrix and to the presence within the biofilm of metabolically inactive persister cells. Such chemic...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2014-06-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/3/3/270 |
| _version_ | 1818257549701414912 |
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| author | David R. Harper Helena M. R. T. Parracho James Walker Richard Sharp Gavin Hughes Maria Werthén Susan Lehman Sandra Morales |
| author_facet | David R. Harper Helena M. R. T. Parracho James Walker Richard Sharp Gavin Hughes Maria Werthén Susan Lehman Sandra Morales |
| author_sort | David R. Harper |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biofilms are an extremely common adaptation, allowing bacteria to colonize hostile environments. They present unique problems for antibiotics and biocides, both due to the nature of the extracellular matrix and to the presence within the biofilm of metabolically inactive persister cells. Such chemicals can be highly effective against planktonic bacterial cells, while being essentially ineffective against biofilms. By contrast, bacteriophages seem to have a greater ability to target this common form of bacterial growth. The high numbers of bacteria present within biofilms actually facilitate the action of bacteriophages by allowing rapid and efficient infection of the host and consequent amplification of the bacteriophage. Bacteriophages also have a number of properties that make biofilms susceptible to their action. They are known to produce (or to be able to induce) enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix. They are also able to infect persister cells, remaining dormant within them, but re-activating when they become metabolically active. Some cultured biofilms also seem better able to support the replication of bacteriophages than comparable planktonic systems. It is perhaps unsurprising that bacteriophages, as the natural predators of bacteria, have the ability to target this common form of bacterial life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:45:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-699c84eb019745dc9f1906ec5ea2e570 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:45:25Z |
| publishDate | 2014-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-699c84eb019745dc9f1906ec5ea2e5702022-12-22T00:16:57ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822014-06-013327028410.3390/antibiotics3030270antibiotics3030270Bacteriophages and BiofilmsDavid R. Harper0Helena M. R. T. Parracho1James Walker2Richard Sharp3Gavin Hughes4Maria Werthén5Susan Lehman6Sandra Morales7AmpliPhi Biosciences, Glen Allen, VA 23060, USAAmpliPhi Biosciences, Glen Allen, VA 23060, USAPublic Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, UKPublic Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JG, UKGavin Hughes—The Surgical Materials Testing Laboratory, Bridgend, South Wales CF31 1RQ, UKMaria Werthén, Mölnlycke Health Care AB, SE-402 52 Gothenburg, SwedenAmpliPhi Biosciences, Glen Allen, VA 23060, USAAmpliPhi Biosciences, Glen Allen, VA 23060, USABiofilms are an extremely common adaptation, allowing bacteria to colonize hostile environments. They present unique problems for antibiotics and biocides, both due to the nature of the extracellular matrix and to the presence within the biofilm of metabolically inactive persister cells. Such chemicals can be highly effective against planktonic bacterial cells, while being essentially ineffective against biofilms. By contrast, bacteriophages seem to have a greater ability to target this common form of bacterial growth. The high numbers of bacteria present within biofilms actually facilitate the action of bacteriophages by allowing rapid and efficient infection of the host and consequent amplification of the bacteriophage. Bacteriophages also have a number of properties that make biofilms susceptible to their action. They are known to produce (or to be able to induce) enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix. They are also able to infect persister cells, remaining dormant within them, but re-activating when they become metabolically active. Some cultured biofilms also seem better able to support the replication of bacteriophages than comparable planktonic systems. It is perhaps unsurprising that bacteriophages, as the natural predators of bacteria, have the ability to target this common form of bacterial life.http://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/3/3/270bacteriophagebiofilmantibiotic resistancephage therapydepolymerasepersister cells |
| spellingShingle | David R. Harper Helena M. R. T. Parracho James Walker Richard Sharp Gavin Hughes Maria Werthén Susan Lehman Sandra Morales Bacteriophages and Biofilms Antibiotics bacteriophage biofilm antibiotic resistance phage therapy depolymerase persister cells |
| title | Bacteriophages and Biofilms |
| title_full | Bacteriophages and Biofilms |
| title_fullStr | Bacteriophages and Biofilms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bacteriophages and Biofilms |
| title_short | Bacteriophages and Biofilms |
| title_sort | bacteriophages and biofilms |
| topic | bacteriophage biofilm antibiotic resistance phage therapy depolymerase persister cells |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/3/3/270 |
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