Dispersal from Microbial Biofilms

One common feature of biofilm development is the active dispersal of cells from the mature biofilm, which completes the biofilm life cycle and allows for the subsequent colonization of new habitats. Dispersal is likely to be critical for species survival and appears to be a precisely regulated process that involves a complex network of genes and signal transduction systems. Sophisticated molecular mechanisms control the transition of sessile biofilm cells into dispersal cells and their coordinated detachment and release in the bulk liquid. Dispersal cells appear to be specialized and exhibit a unique phenotype different from biofilm or planktonic bacteria. Further, the dispersal population is characterized by a high level of heterogeneity, reminiscent of, but distinct from, that in the biofilm, which could potentially allow for improved colonization under various environmental conditions. Here we review recent advances in characterizing the molecular mechanisms that regulate biofilm dispersal events and the impact of dispersal in a broader ecological context. Several strategies that exploit the mechanisms controlling biofilm dispersal to develop as applications for biofilm control are also presented.