Nanoparticle-Biofilm Interactions: The Role of the EPS Matrix.

Nanoparticle-Biofilm Interactions: The Role of the EPS Matrix. Trends Microbiol. 2019 Aug 13;: Authors: Fulaz S, Vitale S, Quinn L, Casey E Abstract The negative consequences of biofilms are widely reported. A defining feature of biofilms is the extracellular matrix, a complex mixture of biomacromolecules, termed EPS, which contributes to reduced antimicrobial susceptibility. EPS targeting is a promising, but underexploited, approach to biofilm control allowing disruption of the matrix and thereby increasing the susceptibility to antimicrobials. Nanoparticles (NPs) can play a very important role as 'carriers' of EPS matrix disruptors, and several approaches have recently been proposed. In this review, we discuss the application of nanoparticles as antibiofilm technologies with a special emphasis on the role of the EPS matrix in the physicochemical regulation of the nanoparticle-biofilm interaction. We highlight the use of nanoparticles as a platform for a new generation of antibiofilm approaches. PMID: 31420126 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Trends in Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Trends Microbiol Source Type: research