Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Biofilms01:29

Biofilms

631
Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms encased in a self-produced extracellular polysaccharide matrix attached to surfaces. These microbial consortia can include single or multiple species, providing enhanced survival benefits by forming organized, multilayered structures.The formation of biofilms occurs through four key stages: attachment, colonization, development, and dispersal.During attachment, free-swimming planktonic cells adhere to a surface, often facilitated by...
631
Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages01:30

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

74.3K
Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the...
74.3K
DNA Bacteriophages01:26

DNA Bacteriophages

373
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
373
Biological Methods for Microbial Control01:28

Biological Methods for Microbial Control

567
Biological agents offer an effective means of controlling microbial growth by leveraging natural processes like predation, competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial substances.Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio species target and kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They are widely used in poultry farms to control infections. Myxococcus species help combat plant-pathogenic fungi. These naturally occurring predators serve as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides and...
567
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

208
Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
208
Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle01:20

Viral Replication: Lytic Cycle

670
Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria. Among them, T-even bacteriophages, such as T4, exhibit a well-characterized lytic replication cycle in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This process ensures the rapid proliferation of the virus while ultimately leading to the destruction of the bacterial host.Attachment and DNA InjectionThe infection process begins with the recognition and binding of the T4 phage to the E. coli cell surface. Tail fibers of the phage...
670

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Dual Sub‑MIC Copper-Gentamicin Stress Drives Strain‑Specific, Non‑Additive Phenotypic Shifts in <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>.

Molecular and cellular biology·2026
Same author

Phenotypic and genomic characterization of vB_SauP-INT105, an exopolysaccharide depolymerase-encoding lytic short-tailed phage with antibiofilm activity against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>.

Frontiers in microbiology·2026
Same author

Modular plug-and-play engineering of Klebsiella phages with dual receptor-binding proteins for efficient host range design.

Journal of biological engineering·2026
Same author

DepoCatalog: mapping diversity of 129 recombinantly produced Klebsiella phage depolymerases.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Cross-genus phage design through branching domain and conserved peptide interactions.

Journal of biological engineering·2026
Same author

Cross-immunity to therapeutic Kayvirus staphylophages reveals conserved immunogenic epitopes in patients.

Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 13, 2025

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases
07:47

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases

Published on: January 1, 2016

11.8K

Targeting biofilms using phages and their enzymes.

Joana Azeredo1, Pilar García2, Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa3

  • 1Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.

Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|March 13, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Bacterial biofilms, protected by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), can be targeted by bacteriophages (phages) and their enzymes. Exploring phage enzymes offers new strategies for combating biofilms and enhancing antibiotic treatments.

More Related Videos

A Platform of Anti-biofilm Assays Suited to the Exploration of Natural Compound Libraries
09:39

A Platform of Anti-biofilm Assays Suited to the Exploration of Natural Compound Libraries

Published on: December 27, 2016

18.2K
Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors
10:17

Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors

Published on: October 9, 2016

15.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 13, 2025

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases
07:47

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases

Published on: January 1, 2016

11.8K
A Platform of Anti-biofilm Assays Suited to the Exploration of Natural Compound Libraries
09:39

A Platform of Anti-biofilm Assays Suited to the Exploration of Natural Compound Libraries

Published on: December 27, 2016

18.2K
Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors
10:17

Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors

Published on: October 9, 2016

15.8K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology and Virology
  • Bacterial biofilm research
  • Antimicrobial strategies

Background:

  • Bacterial biofilms create a protective extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix, shielding embedded bacterial cells.
  • The co-evolution of bacteria and bacteriophages (phages) has driven the development of phage strategies to penetrate biofilms.
  • Phages possess enzymes capable of degrading EPS, presenting a potent mechanism for biofilm disruption.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the potential of bacteriophages and their enzymes in combating bacterial biofilms.
  • To emphasize the need for further exploration of phage-encoded enzymes for novel antibiofilm applications.
  • To underscore the importance of understanding biofilm biology for advancing control strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on bacterial biofilms, phages, and EPS-degrading enzymes.
  • Analysis of phage genomes for undiscovered enzymatic potential against biofilms.
  • Discussion of synergistic approaches combining phages or phage enzymes with conventional antimicrobials.

Main Results:

  • Phages utilize a diverse array of EPS-degrading enzymes as effective weapons against biofilms.
  • Combining phages or their enzymes with antibiotics can enhance antibiofilm efficacy.
  • A significant number of phage-encoded enzymes with antibiofilm potential remain unexplored.

Conclusions:

  • Phage-derived enzymes represent a promising avenue for developing novel antibiofilm therapies.
  • Further research into biofilm biology and phage genomics is crucial for unlocking new control methods.
  • Exploiting the antibacterial potential of phages is key to advancing biofilm management.