The interaction of phage and biofilms

Biofilms present complex assemblies of micro-organisms attached to surfaces. They are dynamic structures in which various metabolic activities and interactions between the component cells occur. When phage come in contact with biofilms, further interactions occur dependent on the susceptibility of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEMS Microbiology Letters 2004-03, Vol.232 (1), p.1-6
Main Authors: Sutherland, Ian W, Hughes, Kevin A, Skillman, Lucy C, Tait, Karen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adsorption
Bacteria - virology
Bacteriolysis
Bacteriophages - enzymology
Bacteriophages - physiology
Biofilm
Biofilms
Biological and medical sciences
Exopolysaccharide
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Lysis
Microbiology
Miscellaneous
Phage
Polysaccharase
Polysaccharides, Bacterial - metabolism
Receptors, Virus
Virology
Virus
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Summary:Biofilms present complex assemblies of micro-organisms attached to surfaces. They are dynamic structures in which various metabolic activities and interactions between the component cells occur. When phage come in contact with biofilms, further interactions occur dependent on the susceptibility of the biofilm bacteria to phage and to the availability of receptor sites. If the phage also possess polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, or if considerable cell lysis is effected by the phage, the integrity of the biofilm may rapidly be destroyed. Alternatively, coexistence between phage and host bacteria within the biofilm may develop. Although phage have been proposed as a means of destroying or controlling biofilms, the technology for this has not yet been successfully developed.
ISSN:0378-1097
1574-6968
DOI:10.1016/S0378-1097(04)00041-2