Microbial biofilms: biosurfactants as antibiofilm agents

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166 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Current microbial inhibition strategies based on planktonic bacterial physiology have been known to have limited efficacy on the growth of biofilm communities. This problem can be exacerbated by the emergence of increasingly resistant clinical strains. All aspects of biofilm measurement, monitoring, dispersal, control, and inhibition are becoming issues of increasing importance. Biosurfactants have merited renewed interest in both clinical and hygienic sectors due to their potential to disperse microbial biofilms in addition to many other advantages. The dispersal properties of iosurfactants have been shown to rival those of conventional inhibitory agents against bacterial and yeast biofilms. This makes them suitable candidates for use in new generations of microbial dispersal agents and for use as adjuvants for existing microbial suppression or eradication strategies. In this review, we explore aspects of biofilm characteristics and examine the contribution of biologically derived surfaceactive agents (biosurfactants) to the disruption or inhibition of microbial biofilms.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9915-9929
JournalApplied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Volume98
Issue number24
DOIs
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - Dec 2014

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