Bacterial cell membrane and microbial biofilm

The bacterial cell membrane and microbial biofilms are fundamental structural components that protect pathogenic bacteria and facilitate their survival within a host. The bacterial cell membrane is a phospholipid bilayer essential for maintaining osmotic balance, energy transduction, and selective transport (Sohlenkamp & Geiger, 2016, FEMS Microbiology Reviews). Microbial biofilms are organized communities of microorganisms embedded in a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), including proteins, DNA, and polysaccharides, which provide a physical barrier against antibiotics and the host immune system (Flemming et al., 2016, Nature Reviews Microbiology). Therapeutic agents like polymyxins and daptomycin target the membrane by disrupting its integrity or creating pores, leading to cytoplasmic leakage and cell death (Poirel et al., 2017, Clinical Microbiology Reviews). Anti-biofilm strategies aim to degrade the EPS matrix or interfere with quorum sensing to disperse the community and enhance the efficacy of traditional antibiotics (Roy et al., 2018, Virulence). These targets are critical in managing multi-drug resistant infections and chronic conditions associated with medical implants.

Other names

Bacterial envelopeCytoplasmic membraneExtracellular polymeric substanceEPS matrixBacterial cell wall (related)

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