Mechanisms and Control Strategies of Antibiotic Resistance in Pathological Biofilms
Luo Ying, Qian‐Qian Yang, Dan Zhang, Wei Yan
Abstract
The physical scaffold of a biofilm is the matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), self-secreted substances that keep bacterial cells in a contained structure and attach them to surfaces Most of the biomass of the biofilm is hydrated EPS rather than bacterial cells, which only make up between 2% to 15% of the total biofilm mass EPS is mostly composed of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and extracellular DNA (eDNA) (Fig. Enhanced antimicrobial resistance, nutrient capture and social cooperation are three main characteristic features of biofilms, and the EPS matrix underlies these important properties The structures of biofilms somewhat resembles tissues of higher organisms, which are structurally complex and highly heterogenous in gene expression