Note: Front Cover -- Application of Biofilms in Applied Microbiology -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- List of contributors -- 1 Bacterial extracellular polysaccharides in biofilm formation and function -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Exopolysaccharides associated with the matrix of biofilm -- 1.2.1 Various types of architectural polysaccharides associated with the biofilm -- 1.2.1.1 Bacterial alginates -- 1.2.1.2 Cellulose -- 1.2.1.3 Poly-N-acetyl glucose amine -- 1.2.1.4 Capsular polysaccharides -- 1.2.1.5 Levan -- 1.2.1.6 Colonic acid -- 1.2.1.7 Vibrio polysaccharide -- 1.3 Variation in structural components of bacterial EPS -- 1.4 EPS variation in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria -- 1.4.1 Gram-positive bacteria -- 1.4.2 Gram-negative bacteria -- 1.5 Various methods of exopolysaccharide extraction from the matrix of biofilm -- 1.6 Functional attributes of EPS -- 1.6.1 Adhesion/cohesion/genetic material transfer -- 1.6.2 Symbiosis -- 1.6.3 Development of pathogenicity -- 1.6.4 Source of nutrition -- 1.6.5 Protection from antimicrobials -- 1.7 Mechanism of formation of microbial aggregates by Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) -- 1.7.1 Intracellular adhesion by EPS -- 1.7.2 Conditions influencing EPS formation and action -- 1.8 Applications of EPS in biotechnology -- 1.9 Conclusion -- References -- 2 Pseudomonas putida biofilm: development and dynamics -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Biofilm formation -- 2.3 Factors affecting Pseudomonas putida biofilm -- 2.3.1 Dynamic nature -- 2.3.2 Flagella -- 2.3.3 Starvation stress -- 2.4 Genetics of Pseudomonas putida biofilm -- 2.5 Biofilm control strategies -- 2.5.1 Physical methods -- 2.5.1.1 Radiation -- 2.5.1.2 Temperature -- 2.5.1.3 Other approaches -- 2.5.2 Chemical methods -- 2.5.2.1 Aggressive chemicals -- 2.5.2.2 Quaternary ammonium compounds -- 2.5.2.3 Surfactants -- 2.5.2.4 Natural products. , 2.5.2.5 Antimicrobial peptides -- 2.5.2.6 Quorum sensing inhibitors -- 2.5.2.7 Metals -- 2.5.2.8 Nanoparticles -- 2.5.2.9 Surface coatings -- 2.5.2.10 Tolerance to chemical approaches -- 2.5.3 Biological methods -- 2.5.3.1 Bacteriophages -- 2.5.3.2 Enzyme-mediated disruption -- 2.5.3.3 Combination strategy -- 2.6 Conclusions and future perspectives -- References -- 3 Biofilm matrix proteins -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Biofilm matrix -- 3.3 Biofilm matrix proteins -- 3.4 Accumulation-associated protein -- 3.5 Rugosity and biofilm structure modulator A -- 3.6 Biofilm-associated protein -- 3.7 Biofilm-surface layer protein -- 3.8 GlcNAc-Binding protein A -- 3.9 Techniques to extract extracellular matrix from bacterial biofilms -- 3.10 Conclusion -- Acknowledgment -- Conflict of interest statement -- References -- 4 Microbial Biofilm-a modern sustainable approach for bioremediation in 21st century -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.1.1 The nature of natural biofilms -- 4.1.2 Properties of biofilms -- 4.1.3 Types of biofilm -- 4.1.3.1 Single-species biofilm -- 4.1.3.2 Bacterial biofilm -- 4.1.3.3 Fungal biofilm -- 4.1.3.4 Algal biofilms -- 4.1.3.5 Protozoa biofilms -- 4.1.3.6 Multiple-species biofilm -- 4.2 Biofilm formation -- 4.2.1 Supports in biofilm-based processes -- 4.2.2 Reversible attachment -- 4.2.3 Irreversible attachment -- 4.2.4 Biofilm maturation -- 4.2.5 Detachment -- 4.2.6 Factors affecting biofilm development -- 4.2.6.1 Biofilm resistance -- 4.3 Application -- 4.3.1 Wastewater treatment -- 4.3.1.1 Removal of organic pollutants -- 4.3.1.2 Removal of inorganic pollutants -- 4.3.1.3 Removal of micropollutants -- 4.3.2 Biofilms for the production of industrial chemicals -- 4.3.3 Other uses of biofilms -- 4.4 Processes based on biofilm technology for wastewater treatment -- 4.4.1 Trickling filter -- 4.4.2 Rotating biological contactor microbiology. , 4.4.3 Constructed wetland system -- 4.4.4 Membrane biofilm reactors -- 4.4.5 Fluidized-bed biofilm reactors -- 4.5 Conclusion -- References -- 5 Bacillus subtilis-based biofilms -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.1.1 Bacillus subtilis as a model organism for studying biofilm formation -- 5.1.2 Global regulators determining the physiology of subpopulations of biofilm cells -- 5.2 General model for biofilm development on substrate -- 5.3 Environmental influences on biofilm development -- 5.3.1 The genetic circuitry of Bacillus subtilis biofilm formation -- 5.4 Biofilm's research in laboratory -- 5.5 Quorum sensing and microbial biofilms -- 5.5.1 Different systems for sensing a quorum -- 5.6 Engineered Bacillus subtilis biofilms -- 5.7 The future of biofilm development research -- 5.8 Conclusion -- Acknowledgment -- References -- 6 A review on the contamination caused by bacterial biofilms and its remediation -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Steps associated in biofilm formation -- 6.3 Infections associated with biofilm formation -- 6.3.1 Device related biofilm infections -- 6.3.1.1 Dental biofilm formation -- 6.3.1.2 Contact lens -- 6.3.1.3 Central venous catheter -- 6.3.1.4 Urinary tract -- 6.3.2 Nondevice related biofilm formation -- 6.3.2.1 Periodontitis -- 6.3.2.2 Osteomyelitis -- 6.4 Few bacterial biofilm models -- 6.4.1 Escherichia coli -- 6.4.2 Bacillus subtilis -- 6.4.3 Pseudomonas aeruginosa -- 6.5 Various ways to combat bacterial biofilm formation -- 6.5.1 Usage of sorties as an antiadhesion -- 6.5.2 Removal of infected foreign bodies -- 6.5.3 Treatment of infected central venous catheter -- 6.5.4 Early detection of biofilm formation -- 6.5.5 Usage of nanoparticles for the removal of bacterial biofilm -- 6.5.6 Bactericidal surfaces -- 6.5.7 Usage of microorganism responsive magnetic nanoparticles based on silver/gentamicin for biofilm disruption. , 6.5.8 Usage of Superparamagnetic iron oxide encapsulating polymerase nanocarriers for the biofilms removal -- 6.6 Conclusion -- References -- Further reading -- 7 Pseudomonas putida biofilms -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Biofilm formation by Pseudomonas putida -- 7.2.1 Mechanism -- 7.3 Development and dispersal of mature biofilm -- 7.4 Properties of biofilms -- 7.4.1 Extracellular matrix -- 7.4.2 Quorum sensing -- 7.4.3 Biofilms are less susceptible to antimicrobial agents -- 7.5 Factors affecting biofilm formation -- 7.6 Benefits of biofilm -- 7.7 Possible eradication strategies -- 7.8 Challenges in the eradication of biofilms -- References -- 8 Mechanisms of competition in biofilm communities -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Exploitative competition -- 8.3 Interference competition -- 8.3.1 Interference mediated by the help of antimicrobial elements -- 8.3.2 Competition sensing hypothesis and quorum sensing mechanisms -- 8.3.3 Biofilm and matrix-associated changes -- 8.3.4 Fruiting bodies and microbial competition -- 8.3.5 Interference mediated by the help of contact-dependent interference -- 8.3.6 Outer membrane exchanges -- 8.3.7 Type VI secretion systems -- 8.4 Studying single and multi-species populations -- 8.5 Genetic aspects of competition -- 8.6 Models for defining different means of competition -- 8.7 Techniques for assessment of biofilm -- 8.8 Quantification and qualification for screening biofilm competition formation of biofilms for study -- 8.9 Microfluidics -- 8.10 Microscopic imaging techniques for biofilm study -- 8.11 Transcriptomics and genomics in biofilm study -- 8.12 Concluding remarks -- References -- 9 Escherichia coli biofilms -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Seeing the surface -- 9.2.1 Contacting the surface -- 9.2.2 Temporary attachments to surfaces: reversible binding. , 9.2.3 Robust adhesion to surfaces: fimbriae-mediated irreversible attachment -- 9.2.3.1 Type I fimbriae -- 9.2.3.2 Curli fimbriae -- 9.2.3.3 Conjugative pili -- 9.3 Constructing the mature biofilm -- 9.3.1 Surface biomolecules contributing to biofilm structures -- 9.3.2 Biofilm matrix components -- 9.4 Regulated formation of biofilm -- 9.4.1 Coordinated tendency to adhere to a surface -- 9.4.2 Regulatory network for primary interplay with surfaces -- 9.4.2.1 CpxAR system -- 9.4.2.2 RcsCDB system -- 9.4.2.3 EnvZ/OmpR system -- 9.4.2.4 Role of small molecules in biofilm formation -- 9.4.3 Regulation within E. coli biofilms -- 9.4.3.1 Role of central carbon flux in biofilm regulation -- 9.5 Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 10 Role of microbial biofilms in bioremediation of organic pollutants in aquatic bodies -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Quorum sensing-dependent biofilm -- 10.3 Organic pollutants: origin and implications in aquatic bodies -- 10.3.1 Synthetic chemicals -- 10.3.1.1 Antibacterial agents -- 10.3.1.2 Parasiticides -- 10.3.1.3 Pesticides -- 10.3.2 Industrial effluents -- 10.3.2.1 Pharmaceutical industries -- 10.3.2.2 Paper mill industries -- 10.3.2.3 Pesticide industries -- 10.4 Impact of synthetic chemicals and pesticides on aquatic ecosystem -- 10.5 Microbial diversity in aquatic biofilm -- 10.6 Role of biofilm in bioaugmentation of pollutants -- 10.6.1 Assimilation of nutrients -- 10.6.2 Adsorption of contaminants -- 10.6.3 Biodegradation of contaminants -- 10.7 Mechanism of pollutant removal via use of microbial consortia -- 10.8 Constraints of biofilm-based bioremediation -- 10.9 Conclusion and future perspective -- Acknowledgment -- Conflict of interest statement -- References -- 11 Bacterial extracellular polymeric substances in biofilm matrix -- 11.1 Introduction. , 11.2 Extracellular polysaccharides as an integral part of bacterial biofilms.