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A biofilm is a syntrophic community of microorganisms in which cells stick to each other and often also to a surface. [2] [3] These adherent cells become embedded within a slimy extracellular matrix that is composed of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs).
Rather, a biofilm is made up of an array of microorganisms that come together to form a cohesive biofilm. [7] Although, there are homogeneous biofilms that can form. For example, the plaque that forms on the surfaces of teeth is caused by a biofilm formation of primarily Streptococcus mutans and the slow breakdown of tooth enamel. [8] [9]
Access to the previously invisible world opened the eyes and the minds of the researchers of the seventeenth century. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek investigated diverse bacteria of various shapes, fungi, and protozoa, which he called animalcules, mainly from water, mud, and dental plaque samples, and discovered biofilms as a first indication of microorganisms interacting within complex communities.
The S-layer assists attachment and biofilm formation. Outside the S-layer, there is often a capsule of polysaccharides. The capsule helps the bacterium evade host phagocytosis. In laboratory culture, the S-layer and capsule are often lost by reductive evolution (the loss of a trait in absence of positive selection).
A bacterial capsule has a semi-rigid border that follows the contour of the cell. The capsule excludes India Ink when dyed. A slime layer is a non-rigid matrix that is easily deformed and is not able to exclude India Ink. Biofilms are composed of many cells and their outer barriers.
Colonisation occurs on several scales. In the most basic form, as biofilm in the formation of communities of microorganisms on surfaces. [1] This microbiological colonisation also takes place within each animal or plant and is called microbiome. In small scales such as colonising new sites, perhaps as a result of environmental change.
A microbial mat is a multi-layered sheet or biofilm of microbial colonies, composed of mainly bacteria and/or archaea. Microbial mats grow at interfaces between different types of material, mostly on submerged or moist surfaces, but a few survive in deserts. [1] A few are found as endosymbionts of animals.
Dental plaque is a biofilm that attaches to tooth surfaces, restorations and prosthetic appliances (including dentures and bridges) if left undisturbed.Understanding the formation, composition and characteristics of plaque helps in its control. [6]