Go Forth and Colonize: Dispersal from Clinically Important Microbial Biofilms

The past two decades have witnessed remarkable developments in the field of microbial biofilm research, with the implementation of advanced molecular technologies enabling in-depth understanding of the sessile lifestyle across a variety of systems and organisms. The keen focus on biofilms is justified mostly because of their significant clinical impact, which has prompted the need to explore, manipulate, and devise methods to both prevent biofilm development and treat established biofilms in diverse environments and clinical settings. Furthermore, in recent years, the study of how these surface-associated consortia of cells transition back to unattached, planktonic entities has become a theme of intense interest and scrutiny for microbiologists. Accumulating evidence indicates that escape or release of cells from a biofilm contributes to the success of the microbe as a pathogen. Here, we first provide a general overview of the differences in the biofilm life cycle between bacteria and fungi, with emphasis on medically important pathogens. Next, we elaborate on the recent advances in our understanding of biofilm dispersal and how the process can be harnessed for the clinical management of biofilm-associated infections.