Environment Health Techniques Editorial
615
Editorial Special issue: Biofilms
Biofilms are environmentally relevant lifestyles of microorganisms. Usually, biofilms are isolated from surfaces or interfaces, where cells grow together, differentiate, and produce a matrix. This matrix also protects the microorganisms from environmental insults, such as antimicrobials and several other stress conditions. In our everyday life, biofilm formation and associated costs and benefits are encountered regularly as a source of contamination in food processing, reducing heat transfer in cooling towers, increase drag on ships, foul reverse osmosis membranes, or corrode metal surfaces. Since biofilms resist antimicrobial treatment, they are difficult to control in industry or, medically relevant, the clinics. Moreover, biofilm formation is required for biocontrol properties in plant protection, e.g. with soil inhabiting plant growth promoting microbes. Due to the remarkable resistance features associated with biofilms, inhibition or promotion of biofilm development receives substantial attention in both health sciences and biotechnology. In this issue, Journal of Basic Microbiology addressed topics related to biofilm formation and microbial population composition. Various environmental factors that modulate biofilm development are summarized first. An overview of signals and their receptors is provided focusing on medically and biotechnologically important Gram-positive bacteria. Various cues are perceived by microbial cells including signals that are produced by themselves. The first research paper inspects the role of Pseudomonas quorum signaling molecules related to surface spreading and biofilm formation, followed by a communication that describes autoinducer-2 producing enzymes in selected Bacteriodes species. The physical and chemical properties of the environment could affect the development of biofilms. Chalcopyrite induces the expression of genes in Acidithiobacillus related to extracellular polymeric substance production and type IV pili that are required for adhesion and biofilm formation. Bacterial clump formation is followed during the bioflocculating activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Another important point is to identify how various regulators and genes affect the production of chemicals that act as signaling molecules. As an example, serine acetyltransferase is studied in Mycobacterium smegmatis, an enzyme that is involved in the production of an extracellular signaling molecule and subsequent biofilm development in other bacteria. The role of various sigma factors is described next in Edwardsiella tarda for their role in community growth properties, namely virulence, motility and stress response. Knowledge on biofilms, especially focusing on attachment preventing compounds can be utilized to alter biofilms. Three subsequent publications describe the effect of gum arabic capped-silver nanoparticles, ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid, and microbial derived depolymerase to fight against medically relevant biofilm forming bacteria. Along with the battle against clinically relevant biofilms, we need to recognize the distinct properties of isolates, and the relevance of biofilm formation in antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. This topic is examined for Staphylococcus aureus in the next paper. To better understand complex microbial communities, certain approaches are required to determine the chemical parameters and develop methods that facilitate counting and separation of microbial cells obtained from various environmental sources. The final papers describe microbial community composition and properties in drinking or waste water systems, and provide biotechnologically relevant detection and selection of certain microbes. Ákos T. Kovács and Erika Kothe Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
ß 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA,Weinheim
www.jbm-journal.com
J. Basic Microbiol. 2014, 54, 615
615
Editorial Special issue: Biofilms
Biofilms are environmentally relevant lifestyles of microorganisms. Usually, biofilms are isolated from surfaces or interfaces, where cells grow together, differentiate, and produce a matrix. This matrix also protects the microorganisms from environmental insults, such as antimicrobials and several other stress conditions. In our everyday life, biofilm formation and associated costs and benefits are encountered regularly as a source of contamination in food processing, reducing heat transfer in cooling towers, increase drag on ships, foul reverse osmosis membranes, or corrode metal surfaces. Since biofilms resist antimicrobial treatment, they are difficult to control in industry or, medically relevant, the clinics. Moreover, biofilm formation is required for biocontrol properties in plant protection, e.g. with soil inhabiting plant growth promoting microbes. Due to the remarkable resistance features associated with biofilms, inhibition or promotion of biofilm development receives substantial attention in both health sciences and biotechnology. In this issue, Journal of Basic Microbiology addressed topics related to biofilm formation and microbial population composition. Various environmental factors that modulate biofilm development are summarized first. An overview of signals and their receptors is provided focusing on medically and biotechnologically important Gram-positive bacteria. Various cues are perceived by microbial cells including signals that are produced by themselves. The first research paper inspects the role of Pseudomonas quorum signaling molecules related to surface spreading and biofilm formation, followed by a communication that describes autoinducer-2 producing enzymes in selected Bacteriodes species. The physical and chemical properties of the environment could affect the development of biofilms. Chalcopyrite induces the expression of genes in Acidithiobacillus related to extracellular polymeric substance production and type IV pili that are required for adhesion and biofilm formation. Bacterial clump formation is followed during the bioflocculating activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Another important point is to identify how various regulators and genes affect the production of chemicals that act as signaling molecules. As an example, serine acetyltransferase is studied in Mycobacterium smegmatis, an enzyme that is involved in the production of an extracellular signaling molecule and subsequent biofilm development in other bacteria. The role of various sigma factors is described next in Edwardsiella tarda for their role in community growth properties, namely virulence, motility and stress response. Knowledge on biofilms, especially focusing on attachment preventing compounds can be utilized to alter biofilms. Three subsequent publications describe the effect of gum arabic capped-silver nanoparticles, ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid, and microbial derived depolymerase to fight against medically relevant biofilm forming bacteria. Along with the battle against clinically relevant biofilms, we need to recognize the distinct properties of isolates, and the relevance of biofilm formation in antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. This topic is examined for Staphylococcus aureus in the next paper. To better understand complex microbial communities, certain approaches are required to determine the chemical parameters and develop methods that facilitate counting and separation of microbial cells obtained from various environmental sources. The final papers describe microbial community composition and properties in drinking or waste water systems, and provide biotechnologically relevant detection and selection of certain microbes. Ákos T. Kovács and Erika Kothe Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
ß 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA,Weinheim
www.jbm-journal.com
J. Basic Microbiol. 2014, 54, 615
