Bacterial biofilms are an important part of the pathophysiological mechanisms behind chronic infections including device-associated infections, with underlying biology that leads to the development and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Bacteria in biofilms are less susceptible to antimicrobials, when compared to planktonic populations of the same isolate. The mechanisms of persistence are multifaceted and are broadly associated to a protective effect provided by the biofilm matrix and to specific physiological states of cells residing in biofilms. It is also clear that bacteria within biofilms can undergo rapid genetic diversification. It has been shown that new variant strains can emerge from biofilms and which exhibit heritable variation in colony morphology, increased adhesion, dispersal and/or recalcitrance to oxidative stress and antibiotics.
Although the phenomenon of biofilm-associated genetic diversification has been known for some time, there is a dearth of information on consequences of phenotypic and genetic diversification processes for AMR evolution. Further, the effect of complex ecological factors on the population dynamics of AMR selection within hosts and biofilms is an emerging issue. Recent work has shown that combinations of antimicrobials and other substances can select for or against antibiotic resistance, but it remains unclear how these combinatorial effects manifest in a biofilm context. Moreover, much remains to be learned about the role of physical surface properties of biomaterials and tissues in influencing ecological interactions and evolutionary processes in biofilms as well as physical characteristics like adhesion strength and mature biofilm structure, and how these characteristics subsequently link to biofilm tolerance and AMR evolution. Clearly, a new paradigm is needed for the development and use of antibiotics or antimicrobials in association with biofilm infections. This will require new understanding of how biointerfacial interactions between bacteria and medical devices or host tissue can influence AMR.
This Research Topic will bring together molecular microbiologists, material scientists, evolutionary microbiologists, microbial ecologists and clinical microbiologists that work on improving biomaterials and fighting chronic biofilm infections. The Research Topic issue will focus on studies that investigate the role of antimicrobials and surface characteristics in shaping:
- developmental processes of biofilms,
- the molecular mechanisms by which biofilms confer resistance and tolerance to antimicrobials and antimicrobial biomaterials,
- ecological interactions between multiple microbial players in biofilms and
- evolutionary processes within biofilms possibly leading to AMR and modulating host interactions.
Bacterial biofilms are an important part of the pathophysiological mechanisms behind chronic infections including device-associated infections, with underlying biology that leads to the development and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Bacteria in biofilms are less susceptible to antimicrobials, when compared to planktonic populations of the same isolate. The mechanisms of persistence are multifaceted and are broadly associated to a protective effect provided by the biofilm matrix and to specific physiological states of cells residing in biofilms. It is also clear that bacteria within biofilms can undergo rapid genetic diversification. It has been shown that new variant strains can emerge from biofilms and which exhibit heritable variation in colony morphology, increased adhesion, dispersal and/or recalcitrance to oxidative stress and antibiotics.
Although the phenomenon of biofilm-associated genetic diversification has been known for some time, there is a dearth of information on consequences of phenotypic and genetic diversification processes for AMR evolution. Further, the effect of complex ecological factors on the population dynamics of AMR selection within hosts and biofilms is an emerging issue. Recent work has shown that combinations of antimicrobials and other substances can select for or against antibiotic resistance, but it remains unclear how these combinatorial effects manifest in a biofilm context. Moreover, much remains to be learned about the role of physical surface properties of biomaterials and tissues in influencing ecological interactions and evolutionary processes in biofilms as well as physical characteristics like adhesion strength and mature biofilm structure, and how these characteristics subsequently link to biofilm tolerance and AMR evolution. Clearly, a new paradigm is needed for the development and use of antibiotics or antimicrobials in association with biofilm infections. This will require new understanding of how biointerfacial interactions between bacteria and medical devices or host tissue can influence AMR.
This Research Topic will bring together molecular microbiologists, material scientists, evolutionary microbiologists, microbial ecologists and clinical microbiologists that work on improving biomaterials and fighting chronic biofilm infections. The Research Topic issue will focus on studies that investigate the role of antimicrobials and surface characteristics in shaping:
- developmental processes of biofilms,
- the molecular mechanisms by which biofilms confer resistance and tolerance to antimicrobials and antimicrobial biomaterials,
- ecological interactions between multiple microbial players in biofilms and
- evolutionary processes within biofilms possibly leading to AMR and modulating host interactions.
