Anti-Biofilm Compounds Derived from Marine Sponges

Abstract

Bacterial biofilms are surface-attached communities of microorganisms that are protected by an extracellular matrix of biomolecules. In the biofilm state, bacteria are significantly more resistant to external assault, including attack by antibiotics. In their native environment, bacterial biofilms underpin costly biofouling that wreaks havoc on shipping, utilities, and offshore industry. Within a host environment, they are insensitive to antiseptics and basic host immune responses. It is estimated that up to 80% of all microbial infections are biofilm-based. Biofilm infections of indwelling medical devices are of particular concern, since once the device is colonized, infection is almost impossible to eliminate. Given the prominence of biofilms in infectious diseases, there is a notable effort towards developing small, synthetically available molecules that will modulate bacterial biofilm development and maintenance. Here, we highlight the development of small molecules that inhibit and/or disperse bacterial biofilms specifically through non-microbicidal mechanisms. Importantly, we discuss several sets of compounds derived from marine sponges that we are developing in our labs to address the persistent biofilm problem. We will discuss: discovery/synthesis of natural products and their analogues—including our marine sponge-derived compounds and initial adjuvant activity and toxicological screening of our novel anti-biofilm compounds.

Detection of biofilm formation by Escherichia coli with its antibiogram profile

“…Due to this, they are at risk to the action of antibiotics and immune system of the host. 13 This might be helpful in the treatment of various patients suffering from UTI.…”

Correlation between Biofilm Production and Bacterial Urinary Tract Infections: New Therapeutic Approach

“…embedded in their produced matrix (Flemming & Wingender, 2010) of extracellular polymeric substances (polymeric matrix is made from the combination of exopolysaccharides, proteins, enzymes, teichoic acids, and extracellular DNA). The transition from planktonic growth to biofilm cause changes in the surface molecules expression, virulence factors, and metabolic status and enable bacteria to survive during unfavorable conditions (Klebensberger et al, 2009) Biofilm forming bacteria cause a serious problem during UTIs as they involved in up to 80% of all infections (Stowe et al, 2011) . The importance of controlling biofilm producing uropathogeic bacteria is related to protection provided by biofilm.…”

Image-Based 384-Well High-Throughput Screening Method for the Discovery of Skyllamycins A to C as Biofilm Inhibitors and Inducers of Biofilm Detachment in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

“…While a number of P. aeruginosa biofilm inhibitors have been published to date (34)(35)(36)(37)(38), the majority of inhibitors with nonmicrobicidal effects have been identified as quorum-sensing mimics (36,37) or as related to quorum modulation (38). As skyllamycin B is structurally unrelated to quorum mimics, its activity is most likely not directly quorum mediated.…”