biofilms are bacteria living in a community of self produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) by attaching to a living/nonliving surface
free bacteria (planktonic) use flagella to move while bacteria in biofilm use pili to adhere/attach to its surface
biofilms have many functions, EPS acts as scaffold which contains openings and channels that allow for the flow of nutrients and waste and fulfills many beneficial roles for bacteria within it
localized gradients
sorption -> resource capture
enzyme retention -> external digestion system
cooperation -> metabolic cross feeding
competition -> continuous regeneration
tolerance/resistance
bacteria in aqueous environments have short lived interactions while biofilms facilitate prolonged bacterial interactions (good and bad) like communication (quorum), cooperation, and competition, this helps increase survivability in hostile environments
stages of biofilm life cycle
initial adhesion -> planktonic bacteria use pili to attach to solid surfaces
early development -> buildup of biofilm matrix through synthesis of exopolysaccharides/EPS
mature biofilm -> cells adopt dormant state which makes it harder to kill
biofilm dispersal -> released biofilm fragments diffuse to new locations and cycle restarts
