Microbial cell membrane and biofilm extracellular polymeric substance (EPS)

Microbial cell membranes and biofilm extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) represent critical structural targets in the treatment of infectious diseases. The microbial cell membrane provides a selective permeability barrier and maintains osmotic pressure, while the EPS matrix is a complex mixture of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and extracellular DNA that encases microbial communities in biofilms (Flemming & Wingender, 2010, Nature Reviews Microbiology). These structures protect pathogens from host immune responses and significantly increase resistance to conventional antibiotics by limiting drug penetration (Hall & Mah, 2017, Nature Reviews Microbiology). Therapeutic strategies targeting the membrane often involve direct disruption or inhibition of essential lipid synthesis, whereas antibiofilm agents focus on degrading the EPS matrix to disperse the microbial community. Targeting these components is essential for treating chronic and device-related infections where traditional metabolic inhibitors often fail. However, the similarity between microbial and host cell membranes can lead to significant off-target toxicity, such as the nephrotoxicity associated with polymyxins and amphotericin B (StatPearls, 2023).

Other names

Biofilm matrixExtracellular polymeric substancesBacterial cell membraneFungal cell membraneEPS matrixMicrobial envelope

Drugs targeting the microbial membrane, such as polymyxins, act by binding to lipopolysaccharides and disrupting the physical integrity of the lipid bilayer, leading to cytoplasmic leakage (PubMed, PMID: 27317921). Conversely, agents targeting the EPS matrix, such as dornase alfa, enzymatically cleave extracellular DNA, which serves as a structural scaffold for the biofilm, thereby promoting biofilm dispersion and increasing the efficacy of co-administered antibiotics (NIH, DailyMed).