Biofilms are organized multicellular communities encased in an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Biofilm-resident bacteria resist immunity and antimicrobials. The EPS provides structural stability and presents a barrier; however, a complete understanding of how EPS structure relates to biological function is lacking. This review focuses on the EPS of three Gram-negative pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi/Typhimurium. Although EPS proteins and polysaccharides are diverse, common constituents include extracellular DNA, DNABII (DNA binding and bending) proteins, pili, flagella, and outer membrane vesicles. The EPS biochemistry promotes recalcitrance and informs the design of therapies to reduce or eliminate biofilm burden.
Keywords: DNABII; Haemophilus influenzae; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Salmonella; animal models; bacterial pathogenesis; biofilm; eDNA; extracellular matrix; matrix; neutrophil; phagocyte; pilin; polysaccharide.
© 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.