Bacterial biofilm and adhesion machinery

Bacterial biofilm and adhesion machinery refers to the complex assembly of proteins, polysaccharides, and extracellular DNA (eDNA) that enables bacteria to attach to surfaces and form resilient, multicellular communities [1, 2]. This machinery includes cell-surface adhesins, such as pili and fimbriae, and the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that constitute the biofilm matrix [4, 5]. These structures play a critical role in the pathogenesis of chronic and healthcare-associated infections by protecting bacteria from host immune responses and increasing their tolerance to antibiotics by up to 1000-fold [3, 10]. Therapeutic strategies targeting this machinery aim to prevent initial colonization, degrade the protective matrix, or trigger biofilm dispersal to restore antibiotic sensitivity [1, 5]. Drugs interacting with these targets include matrix-degrading enzymes like dornase alfa (DNase I) and dispersin B, as well as small-molecule inhibitors of adhesins and quorum-sensing pathways [1, 4]. Despite their potential, challenges include the risk of systemic bacterial spread during dispersal and the need for high local concentrations to penetrate established biofilms [2, 10].

Other names

Biofilm matrix [1]Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) [2]Microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs) [4]Bacterial adhesins [4]Biofilm-associated proteins (BAPs) [8]

Inhibition of bacterial attachment, degradation of extracellular matrix, disruption of quorum sensing, and induction of biofilm dispersal [1, 2, 4].