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Methodologies for Studying B. subtilis Biofilms as a Model for Characterizing Small Molecule Biofilm Inhibitors
Published on: October 9, 2016
Moonlighting antibiotics: the extra job of modulating biofilm formation
Estefanía Cordisco1, Diego Omar Serra1
1Laboratorio de Estructura y Fisiología de Biofilms Microbianos, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR, CONICET-UNR), Predio CONICET Rosario, Ocampo y Esmeralda, (2000) Rosario, Argentina.
Abstract:
The widespread use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections has led to the common perception that their only function is to inhibit growth or kill bacteria. However, it has become clear that when antibiotics reach susceptible bacteria at non-lethal concentrations, they perform additional functions that significantly impact bacterial physiology, shaping both individual and collective behaviors. A key bacterial behavior influenced by sub-lethal antibiotic doses is biofilm formation, a multicellular, surface-associated mode of growth. This review explores different contexts in which natural and clinical antibiotics act as modulators of bacterial biofilm formation. We discuss cases that provide mechanistic insights into antibiotic modes of action, highlighting emerging common patterns and novel findings that pave the way for future research.
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