Natural Products

Microbial biofilm plays an important role in the life cycle of microorganisms surviving in diverse and harsh environments such as extremes of temperatures, pH, salinity, nutrient scarcity etc. Biofilm formation is a survival strategy adopted by microorganisms allowing colonization in new niches by dispersal of microbes from the microbial clusters embedded within an outer polymer layer produced by the microorganism itself. This layer comprises of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that helps the indwelling microbes to grow and divide in a protected environment against invaders like antimicrobial agents, surfactant, biocides and phagocytic cells of host organisms. Thus, EPS matrix prevents the penetration of antimicrobials thereby allowing the indwelling microbes to survive and give rise to antimicrobial resistance posing threat to human health. The present book highlights a detailed analysis of the mechanism of biofilm formation in both Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the role of quorum sensing signaling mechanism in the genetic regulation pathway. The book titled "Natural Products: Alternative therapeutics as Quorum Sensing (QS) inhibitors" provides a detailed and systematic review of mechanism of quorum sensing in both Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria and alternative pharmacological developments as a potent solution to the rise of antimicrobial resistance during biofilm formation. Features: A systematic overview of the mechanism of quorum sensing in the development of microbial biofilms Biofilm formation and its role in the emergence of antimicrobial resistance Recent pharmacological development of antibiofilm remedies involving biogenic compounds This book serves as a reference book for researchers investigating the progression of events during microbial biofilm formation starting from the genetic cascade regulating quorum sensing to secretion of autoinducers and design of safer methodologies for the successful eradication of microbial biofilm. It may also be used as a textbook for a undergraduate level course in microbiology or microbial biotechnology.