Resistance is not futile: Uncovering the reasons why bacterial biofilms can withstand antimicrobial treatments

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Biofilms are slime-covered communities of microorganisms that stick to each other and to surfaces. This prevalent form of microbial life causes a variety of problems pertinent to the natural sciences and engineering, ranging from veterinary and plant diseases to fouling of water systems and oilfield pipelines. Biofilms have caught the eyes of microbiologists because they are much less susceptible to antimicrobial treatments than their planktonic, single-celled counterparts. Because biofilms cause a huge number of issues in agriculture and industry, it is vital that we better understand what allows biofilms to endure the lethal action of antimicrobials. The aim of the proposed research is to advance our understanding of the genetic pathways and cellular signaling mechanisms that allow biofilms to withstand antimicrobial agents. This research utilizes non-pathogenic, laboratory Escherichia coli to tackle this research challenge. E. coli can be grown easily and inexpensively and is the most widely studied, free-living organism. Work with E. coli informs nearly all areas of basic and applied microbiology. The proposed research endeavors will advance a fundamental knowledge of bacterial physiology, providing insights into the metabolism that differentiates biofilms from planktonic cells. Also, there is a pressing need to engineer new antimicrobials that target biofilms. Not, only will this research provide a deep understanding of biofilm resistance mechanisms, but it will identify parts of biofilm cells that might be selectively targeted for disruption.******