Bacterial and fungal cell membranes and biofilms

Bacterial and fungal cell membranes are essential lipid bilayers that maintain cellular homeostasis and protect against environmental stress (Heidary et al., 2022, Frontiers in Microbiology). In bacteria, the membrane is a site for energy transduction and lipid synthesis, while fungal membranes are characterized by the presence of ergosterol, a primary target for polyene antifungals like Amphotericin B (Anderson et al., 2014, Nature Chemical Biology). Biofilms represent a higher-order structural organization where microbes are encased in a self-produced extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix, which significantly limits the penetration of antimicrobial agents and protects the community from host immune clearance (Flemming & Wingender, 2010, Nature Reviews Microbiology). Therapeutic targeting of these structures involves physical disruption, such as the pore-forming mechanism of polymyxins in Gram-negative bacteria or the sequestration of ergosterol in fungi. Biofilm-specific strategies focus on degrading the EPS matrix or inhibiting quorum sensing to transition the microbes back to a more susceptible planktonic state (Roy et al., 2018, Virulence).

Other names

Microbial cell envelopeMicrobial membranesExtracellular polymeric substance matrixEPS matrixBacterial cell membraneFungal cell membrane

Disruption of membrane integrity, pore formation, depolarization of the membrane potential, and degradation of the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix.