Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms
Biofilms are assemblages of microorganisms attached to each other, or to a surface, and encased in a protective, self-produced matrix. Such associations are now recognized as the predominant microbial growth mode. The physiology of cells in biofilms differs from that of the planktonic cells on which...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2020
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/145203 |
| _version_ | 1811684265228763136 |
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| author | Penesyan, Anahit Paulsen, Ian T. Gillings, Michael R. Kjelleberg, Staffan Manefield, Michael J. |
| author2 | School of Biological Sciences |
| author_facet | School of Biological Sciences Penesyan, Anahit Paulsen, Ian T. Gillings, Michael R. Kjelleberg, Staffan Manefield, Michael J. |
| author_sort | Penesyan, Anahit |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Biofilms are assemblages of microorganisms attached to each other, or to a surface, and encased in a protective, self-produced matrix. Such associations are now recognized as the predominant microbial growth mode. The physiology of cells in biofilms differs from that of the planktonic cells on which most research has been conducted. Consequently, there are significant gaps in our knowledge of the biofilm lifestyle. Filling this gap is particularly important, given that biofilm cells may respond differently to antibiotics than do planktonic cells of the same species. Understanding the effects of antibiotics on biofilms is of paramount importance for clinical practice due to the increased levels of antibiotic resistance and resistance dissemination in biofilms. From a wider environmental perspective antibiotic exposure can alter the ecology of biofilms in nature, and hence disrupt ecosystems. Biofilm cells display increased resilience toward antibiotics. This resilience is often explained by mechanisms and traits such as decreased antibiotic penetration, metabolically inactive persister cells, and intrinsic resistance by members of the biofilm community. Together, these factors suggest that cells in biofilms are often exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of antimicrobial agents. Here we discuss how cells in biofilms are affected by the presence of antibiotics at subinhibitory concentrations, and the possible ramifications of such secondary effects for healthcare and the environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T04:25:53Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/145203 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T04:25:53Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1452032023-02-28T17:06:26Z Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms Penesyan, Anahit Paulsen, Ian T. Gillings, Michael R. Kjelleberg, Staffan Manefield, Michael J. School of Biological Sciences Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences and Engineering (SCELSE) Science::Biological sciences Antimicrobials Subinhibitory Biofilms are assemblages of microorganisms attached to each other, or to a surface, and encased in a protective, self-produced matrix. Such associations are now recognized as the predominant microbial growth mode. The physiology of cells in biofilms differs from that of the planktonic cells on which most research has been conducted. Consequently, there are significant gaps in our knowledge of the biofilm lifestyle. Filling this gap is particularly important, given that biofilm cells may respond differently to antibiotics than do planktonic cells of the same species. Understanding the effects of antibiotics on biofilms is of paramount importance for clinical practice due to the increased levels of antibiotic resistance and resistance dissemination in biofilms. From a wider environmental perspective antibiotic exposure can alter the ecology of biofilms in nature, and hence disrupt ecosystems. Biofilm cells display increased resilience toward antibiotics. This resilience is often explained by mechanisms and traits such as decreased antibiotic penetration, metabolically inactive persister cells, and intrinsic resistance by members of the biofilm community. Together, these factors suggest that cells in biofilms are often exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of antimicrobial agents. Here we discuss how cells in biofilms are affected by the presence of antibiotics at subinhibitory concentrations, and the possible ramifications of such secondary effects for healthcare and the environment. Published version 2020-12-15T04:23:18Z 2020-12-15T04:23:18Z 2020 Journal Article Penesyan, A., Paulsen, I. T., Gillings, M. R., Kjelleberg, S., & Manefield, M. J. (2020). Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 2109-. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.02109 1664-302X https://hdl.handle.net/10356/145203 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02109 32983070 11 en Frontiers in Microbiology © 2020 Penesyan, Paulsen, Gillings, Kjelleberg and Manefield. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Science::Biological sciences Antimicrobials Subinhibitory Penesyan, Anahit Paulsen, Ian T. Gillings, Michael R. Kjelleberg, Staffan Manefield, Michael J. Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms |
| title | Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms |
| title_full | Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms |
| title_fullStr | Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms |
| title_short | Secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms |
| title_sort | secondary effects of antibiotics on microbial biofilms |
| topic | Science::Biological sciences Antimicrobials Subinhibitory |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/145203 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT penesyananahit secondaryeffectsofantibioticsonmicrobialbiofilms AT paulseniant secondaryeffectsofantibioticsonmicrobialbiofilms AT gillingsmichaelr secondaryeffectsofantibioticsonmicrobialbiofilms AT kjellebergstaffan secondaryeffectsofantibioticsonmicrobialbiofilms AT manefieldmichaelj secondaryeffectsofantibioticsonmicrobialbiofilms |