Towards commercial application of novel Biofilm Dispersal Compounds produced by a marine Bacillus licheniformis

环境中的大多数细菌生长在基质封闭的群落（粘液）中，称为生物膜。这些群落的形成和分解受到细菌本身的严格控制。在生物膜中生长的细菌会在医疗保健和工业中引起许多问题。粘液包裹的细菌非常难以去除，并且当在生物膜中生长时，它们通常对标准抗菌剂具有高度抗性。因此，很难治愈细菌生物膜感染。一种对抗生物膜的新方法是使用信号分子来告诉细菌从生物膜中分散开。随后自由游动的细菌可以更容易地被经典抗生素或其他抗菌剂靶向。具体而言，该项目旨在鉴定地衣芽孢杆菌海洋分离株产生的化合物。这种细菌产生生物膜分散化合物（BDC），其诱导自身和其他物种从其生物膜中分散。确定BDC将使我们能够进一步开发其商业潜力。此外，我们将确定该化合物对各种不同细菌的适用性。

Most bacteria in the environment grow in matrix enclosed communities (slime) called biofilms. The formation and breakdown of these communities is tightly controlled by the bacteria itself. Bacteria growing in biofilms can cause a multitude of problems in healthcare and industry. The slime encapsulated bacteria are very difficult to remove and when growing in a biofilm they are usually highly resistant to standard antimicrobials. It is therefore very difficult to cure bacterial biofilm infections. A novel approach to fight biofilms is to use signalling molecules that tell the bacteria to disperse from their biofilm. The subsequent free swimming bacteria can more easily be targeted by classic antibiotics or other antimicrobials. Specifically, this project aims to identify compounds produced by a marine isolate of Bacillus licheniformis. This bacterium produces biofilm dispersal compounds (BDC's) that induce dispersal of itself and other species from their biofilm. Identifying the BDC's will allow us to further develop their commercial potential. Furthermore we will determine the applicability of the compound against a wide range of different bacteria.