Bacterial and fungal cytoplasmic membranes and oral biofilms

Bacterial and fungal cytoplasmic membranes are fundamental lipid bilayers that serve as selective barriers and sites for essential metabolic activities, such as ATP synthesis and signal transduction (PubMed, 2022). Oral biofilms represent a higher-order organization where these microorganisms reside within a protective extracellular matrix, significantly enhancing their survival against host defenses and pharmacological interventions (NIH, 2023). Therapeutic strategies targeting these structures often involve membrane-disrupting agents like chlorhexidine or polyene antifungals, which compromise structural integrity or inhibit the formation of the biofilm matrix (StatPearls, 2024). These targets are central to the management of infectious diseases, particularly dental caries, periodontitis, and systemic fungal infections (PubChem, 2024). However, the lack of high specificity can lead to host cell toxicity, and the dense architecture of biofilms remains a major therapeutic challenge (PubMed, 2021).

Other names

Microbial cell membranesDental plaqueMicrobial biofilmsExtracellular polymeric substance matrixProkaryotic and eukaryotic microbial membranes

Drugs targeting these structures typically act through membrane disruption, pore formation, or alteration of membrane permeability. For example, polyenes bind to ergosterol in fungal membranes to create lethal pores (StatPearls, 2024), while polymyxins interact with lipopolysaccharides to disrupt bacterial outer and inner membranes (PubMed, 2022). Antiseptics like chlorhexidine penetrate the biofilm matrix and cause generalized membrane damage, leading to the leakage of intracellular contents (PubChem, 2024).