Biology and physics at the biofilm surface

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Biofilms are communities of microbes that are surrounded by an extracellular matrix. The matrix functions like a glue to provide structure and protection to the resident microbes. An everyday example of a biofilm is dental plaque. As exemplified by dental plaque, microbes benefit from living in a biofilm by gaining access to hard-to-source nutrients and becoming difficult to remove from a surface. In other environments or situations microbes living in biofilms become resistant to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents resulting in chronic infections or blockages in pipes and catheters. We are interested in how the biofilm is assembled. The main component parts that are needed have been identified and in this proposal we aim to understand how one of them assembles to form a protective coat around the members of the biofilm community. Understanding this assembly process will allow the development of novel strategies to block, reverse, or enhance biofilm assembly in the natural environment and guide future developments of novel antimicrobial compounds for chronic debilitating biofilm infections.