Fundamentals of bacterial biofilm: Present state of art

Bacteria are ubiquitous and it is reported that among them surface attached bacteria is over 99% population wise. However, the attached growth or sessile life of bacteria poses a different problem in human life. Chronic infection, contamination in food industries and biofouling in industrial materials are serious challenges which need to overcome. It is imperative to understand the bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm development to study biofilm-associated deceases and mitigating biofouling. In the present book chapter, the technical know-how of bacterial biofilm development has been depicted. A thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of bacterial biofilm would help to perceive new aspects of biofouling and pathogenicity associated with biofilm and how fouling could be controlled and contamination can be prevented. In this chapter, parameters affecting biofilm formation, the role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and eDNA, the factors of materials which influence attachment and detachment of biofilm have been clearly described. The present chapter highlights the major factors involved in the signaling system to promote Biofilm formation.