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Microbial Communities

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Brief Lessons in Microbiology

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Abstract

Microorganisms are very social and can form complex communities. Microbial communities are often organized into elaborate structures, called biofilms, which have been compared to futuristic human cities. Besides protection from the surrounding environment, biofilms allow microbes to specialize on specific tasks similar to cells in the bodies of the higher organisms. Close contact between microbes in biofilms allows easier cell-to-cell communication and exchange of genetic information. Biofilms are often composed of not only single microbial species, but also microorganisms from all domains of life. Biofilms of pathogenic microbes represent a particular problem in healthcare because of their increased resistance against the immune system and antibiotics. Novel drugs targeting biofilms can therefore aid the ongoing fight against pathogens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Mario Juhas

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Juhas, M. (2023). Microbial Communities. In: Brief Lessons in Microbiology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29544-7_4

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