New holistic approach for the management of biofilm-associated infections by myco-metabolites.

Biofilm-associated infections have increased excessively over the recent years due to the increased population having impaired immune systems or as a result of certain medical conditions like transplantation, cancer, and any other chronic ailments. The abrupt enhancement of antibiotic resistance and enhanced utilization of biomedical devices offer new opportunities for microbial colonization leading to the development of microbial biofilms. Total eradication of recalcitrant microbial biofilms demands the adoption of a holistic approach and since the fungal metabolites enriched with bioactive compounds show efficacy in inhibiting the multiple factors behind biofilm formation, the anti-biofilm activities of fungal metabolites need to be appraised. Being effective in preventing various steps of biofilm formation, including inhibition of surface adhesion and cell-to-cell communication through quorum quenching, blocking of quorum sensing receptors, and enzymes involved in microbial cell wall biosynthesis, targeting the virulence factors and finally killing of biofilm bound individual cells; myco-metabolites are found effective as a potent holistic anti-biofilm agent. The wide spectrum of bioactive substances of fungi and their anti-biofilm activities against different pathogens and their multitarget characteristics are very promising in the field of treating biofilm infections.

Evaluation of algal active compounds as potent antibiofilm agent.

Biofilm is the syntrophic association of microbial colonies that remain adhered to the biotic and abiotic surfaces with the help of self-secreted polymeric substances also termed extracellular polymeric substances. Chronic pathogenicity caused by biofilm-associated pathogenic microorganisms becomes a significant threat in biomedical research. An extensive search is being made for the antibiofilm agents made from natural sources or their biogenic derivatives due to their effectivity and nontoxicity. Algae being the producer of various biogenic substances are found capable of disintegrating biofilm matrix and eradication of biofilm without exerting any deterrent effect on other biotas in the ecosystem. The current trend in phycological studies includes the exploration of antifouling efficacy among various algal groups. The extracts prepared from about 225 microalgae and cyanobacteria species are found to have antibiofilm activity. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are the most important component in the algal extract with antibacterial and antibiofilm properties. The antibiofilm activity of the sulfated polysaccharides extracted from a marine alga could be effectively used to remove dental biofilm. Algal extracts are also being used for the preparation of different biogenically synthesized nanoparticles, which are being used as potent antibiofilm agents. Genome editing of algal species by CRISPR/Cas9 may make precise modifications in the algal DNA for improving the algal strains and production of a more effective antibiofouling agent.