Actinobacteria-a promising natural source of anti-biofilm agents

Abstract

A biofilm is a community of microorganisms attached to a surface and embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. Biofilms confer resistance towards conventional antibiotic treatments; thus, there is an urgent need for newer and more effective antimicrobial agents that can act against these biofilms. Due to this situation, various studies have been done to investigate the anti-biofilm effects of natural products including bioactive compounds extracted from microorganisms such as Actinobacteria. This review provides an insight into the anti-biofilm potential of Actinobacteria against various pathogenic bacteria, which hopefully provides useful information, guidance, and improvements for future antimicrobial studies. Nevertheless, further research on the anti-biofilm mechanisms and compound modifications to produce more potent anti-biofilm effects are required.

Keywords: Actinobacteria; Anti-biofilm; Biofilms; Non-Streptomyces; Streptomyces.