Abstract
The present review will explore the most relevant findings on marine microbial biofilm, with particular attention towards its polysaccharide fraction, namely exopolysaccharide (EPS). EPSs of microbial origin are ubiquitous in nature, possess unique properties and can be isolated from the bacteria living in a variety of habitats, including fresh water or marine environments, extreme environments or different soil ecosystems. These biopolymers have many application in the field of biotechnology. Several studies showed that the biofilm formation is closely related to quorum sensing (QS) systems, which is a mechanism relying on the production of small molecules defined as “autoinducers” that bacteria release in the surrounding environment where they accumulate. In this review, the involvement of microbial chemical communication, by QS mechanism, in the formation of marine biofilm will also be discussed.
Highlights
The ocean covers almost two-thirds of the planet’s surface, and with its 3500 million years of life, it represents a mottled source of chemical and biological biodiversity [1]
The first paper reporting the correlation between biofilm development and the quorum sensing (QS) mechanism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was by David et al, 1998 [59]
Catechin, a well-known anti-QS compound [76], significantly inhibited the biofilm formation by Vibrio sp. strain T33. These results suggested that the formation of biofilm formation in Vibrio sp. strain T33 is regulated by QS [77]
Summary
The ocean covers almost two-thirds of the planet’s surface, and with its 3500 million years of life, it represents a mottled source of chemical and biological biodiversity [1]. At the base of the formation of these aggregates, there is the synthesis by the microorganisms of an extracellular matrix that gives structural integrity to the biofilm [15] This matrix is made of exopolymers, extracellular polymeric substances, consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids [16,17]. The bacterial extracellular polymeric matrix is constituted of polysaccharides (40%–95%), proteins (1%–60%), nucleic acids (1%–10%) and lipids (1%–40%) [20] Among these biopolymers, exopolysaccharides represent the major fraction of the biofilm matrix. Exopolysaccharides isolated from different bacterial species living in several environments have been characterized These studies established that the chemical composition of these natural polymers can change even in the frame of a single species. Aps rroedpuocrtee“dinbdyuFcreerds”eroicfktheteahl.o,m20o1s1e,rtihnee plarcotdounectsiosynsotefmex(tAraHceLllsu)lianrvpoolvlyemd einricEPsuSbpsrtaondcuecstiroengu[3la6t]e. dAbs y QrSeaplolortweds tbhyeFfroerdmearitcioknetoafl.b,i2o0fi1l1m, sthaebplerotoduevctoiolvneorfaepxidtrlaycefrlloumlaranpoinlyitmiaelrcicolsounbisztaatniocenssrteaggueltaoteadlbatyer stQagSeailnlowwhsitchheafolarmrgaetiaomnoouf nbtiooffilemxsopabolleystoacecvhoalrviederaspisidplyrofdroumceadnaisnaitidael fceonloseniazgaatiionnstsetangveirtoonamlaetnetral thsrteaagtes [3in7].which a large amount of exopolysaccharides is produced as a defense against envHiroernem, eantablrtiherfeaotvse[r3v7i]e. w on marine microbial biofilm with particular attention towards biotechHneorleo, gaicablraiepfploicvaetrivoinewof othne mpoalryinsaeccmhiacrriodbeiaflrabctioiofinlmwiwll ibthe hpaanrdtilceudla. rFuatrttehnetriomnorteo,waabrdrisef dibsicoutsescihonnoolongtichael ianpvpolivceamtioenntoofftqhueopruolmyssaecnchsianrgidien ftrhaectbioionfilwmillprboedhuacntidolnedw. iFllubrethperromvoidree,da. brief discussion on the involvement of quorum sensing in the biofilm production will be provided
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