Culturomics and Microbial Biofilms
摘要
Culturomics is part of omics involving high-throughput technology to form uncultivable species that fail to form in conventional methods. Biofilms are aggregates found on surfaces ranging from human skin layers to extreme conditions as in the case of extremophiles for their survival and growth. Biofilms form as aggregates from the bacterial surface make them to thrive in the environment and also confer resistance against antimicrobial agents that are applied against them making them potent targets for overcoming the shortcomings of antimicrobial resistance. Culturomics, a comprehensive approach to study microbial communities, has proven valuable in understanding biofilms in several ways. First, it enables researchers to investigate biofilm formation mechanisms and microbial diversity, as demonstrated by studies on chronic wounds and cystic fibrosis. Second, it aids in identifying biofilm-forming pathogens in medical equipment and dental plaques, revealing previously overlooked bacterial species. Culturomics also helps to examine complex microbial interactions within biofilms, revealing both synergistic and antagonistic relationships between different species. Future progress depends on integrating various omics technologies and improving bioinformatics capabilities to better understand these complex microbial communities.