Biofilm Formation in Human-Pathogenic Bacteria

Biofilms are multicellular aggregates of microorganisms that adhere to biotic or abiotic surfaces and become encased within a self-produced extracellular matrix. In human-pathogenic bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Vibrio vulnificus, biofilm formation underpins chronic and device-related infections by conferring enhanced resistance to host defences and antimicrobial agents. The process typically begins with reversible attachment mediated by surface appendages, including pili and fimbriae, followed by irreversible adhesion and secretion of exopolysaccharides, extracellular DNA and matrix proteins. Intracellular second messengers, most notably cyclic di-GMP, orchestrate the transition from planktonic growth to community life by regulating transcriptional and post-transcriptional pathways. Environmental cues—nutrient availability, shear stress, pH shifts and host-derived signals—feed into two-component systems and transcriptional regulators that tune biofilm architecture and dispersal. Clinically, biofilms complicate the management of chronic wounds, endocarditis, urinary tract infections and cystic fibrosis lung disease, as the matrix barrier impairs antibiotic penetration and shelters persister cells. Strategies to control biofilms include surface modification, enzymatic matrix degradation, small-molecule inhibitors of regulatory proteins and exploitation of bacteriophage enzymes. Understanding the molecular basis of biofilm development is essential for the design of next-generation therapies aimed at preventing colonisation, promoting dispersal and restoring antibiotic efficacy.

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Biofilm Formation in Human-Pathogenic Bacteria publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in biofilm formation in human-pathogenic bacteria across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Biofilm: A structured community of microbial cells adhering to a surface and embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix.

Exopolysaccharide: A polymer of sugar residues secreted by bacteria that forms a major component of the biofilm matrix.

c-di-GMP: Cyclic di-guanylate monophosphate, an intracellular second messenger that regulates the switch between motile and sessile lifestyles in bacteria.

Transcriptional regulator: A protein that binds specific DNA sequences to modulate the transcription of target genes.

Pili: Hair-like proteinaceous appendages on bacterial surfaces that facilitate adhesion to biotic and abiotic substrates and intercellular aggregation.

References

1. Two novel genes identified by large-scale transcriptomic analysis are essential for biofilm and rugose colony development of Vibrio vulnificus. PLOS Pathogens (2023).
2. Identification and characterization of a small molecule BFstatin inhibiting BrpR, the transcriptional regulator for biofilm formation of Vibrio vulnificus. Frontiers in Microbiology (2024).
3. A Tad pilus promotes the establishment and resistance of Vibrio vulnificus biofilms to mechanical clearance. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes (2018).