Biofilm dispersal (None)

Biofilm dispersal is a regulated biological process that serves as the final stage of the biofilm life cycle, where sessile bacteria transition back to a motile, planktonic state to colonize new environments. This process is triggered by various environmental cues, such as nutrient fluctuations or oxygen levels, and is largely governed by intracellular signaling molecules like cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP). While not a single molecule or receptor, biofilm dispersal is a critical therapeutic strategy because biofilms confer up to a 1,000-fold increase in antibiotic tolerance compared to planktonic cells. Drugs targeting this process typically act by degrading the protective extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix—using enzymes like Dornase alfa or Dispersin B—or by delivering low-dose signaling molecules like nitric oxide to trigger active bacterial exit. By forcing bacteria out of the protective biofilm structure, these agents restore the efficacy of conventional antibiotics and the host immune response.

Other names

Biofilm detachmentBiofilm dissolutionBiofilm dispersionSessile-to-planktonic transition

Induction of the transition from a sessile biofilm state to a free-swimming planktonic state by degrading the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix or modulating intracellular signaling pathways (e.g., decreasing c-di-GMP levels).