The enigma of biofilms

Abstract

Biofilms represent a self-contained and self-sustained ecosystem resulting from a synergistic response of bacteria to stress imposed on them by their environment. Biofilms are formed when microorganisms attach to a substratum and to one another in a matrix composed of extracellular polymeric substances. Biofilms are resilient and exhibit properties that confer on them the ability to resist and tide over stress conditions. The study of biofilms can go a long way in unravelling secrets of the multicellular life of prokaryotic bacteria. This note introduces the multi-faceted nature of biofilms which has spurred research aimed at better understanding of microbial physiology.