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Biofilms

Biofilms

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...

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Author Spotlight: Improving the Production of Self-Assembling Fibers and Peptide Hydrogels for Superior Biocompatibility

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pH-Responsive Peptide-Polymer Hydrogel for Biofilm Disruption.

Haritha Asokan-Sheeja¹, Debdatta Das¹, Jenny N Nguyen¹

¹Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, United States.

ACS Applied Bio Materials

|July 7, 2025

Summary

New pH-responsive hydrogels effectively target and disrupt bacterial biofilms in chronic infections. These acid-sensitive peptide-polymer materials release antimicrobial peptides in acidic biofilm environments for enhanced treatment.

Keywords:

Self-assembly antibiofilm activity non-natural amino acids pH-responsive hydrogel peptide−polymer conjugates

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Published on: September 6, 2024

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High-throughput Identification of Bacteria Repellent Polymers for Medical Devices

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Published on: November 5, 2016

Area of Science:

Biomaterials Science
Infectious Diseases
Drug Delivery

Background:

Bacterial biofilms are resilient structures that impede chronic infection treatment.
Biofilm acidity, caused by bacterial metabolism, further hinders antimicrobial efficacy.
Novel strategies are needed to target biofilms, especially in their acidic microenvironments.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop acid-responsive double-network hydrogels for targeted biofilm eradication.
To encapsulate antimicrobial peptides within these hydrogels for enhanced efficacy.
To investigate the pH-triggered release mechanism for biofilm treatment.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of double-network hydrogels using self-assembling peptide nanofibers and 4-arm PEG polymers.
Incorporation of a non-natural ionic amino acid for pH responsiveness.
Encapsulation of antimicrobial peptides within the hydrogel matrix.
Evaluation of hydrogel disassembly and antimicrobial release in acidic conditions.

Main Results:

The peptide-polymer hydrogels demonstrated pH-responsive disassembly in weakly acidic conditions.
Acidification led to increased hydrogel pore size and triggered the release of encapsulated antimicrobial peptides.
The developed hydrogel system showed potential for targeted delivery and disruption of biofilms.

Conclusions:

Acid-responsive peptide-polymer hydrogels offer a promising platform for combating biofilm-associated infections.
The pH-triggered release mechanism enhances the targeted delivery of antimicrobials to acidic biofilm sites.
This innovative approach may lead to more effective and safer treatments for chronic infections.