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  • Review Article
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Archaeal biofilm formation

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 16, pages 699–713 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Biofilms are structured and organized communities of microorganisms that represent one of the most successful forms of life on Earth. Bacterial biofilms have been studied in great detail, and many molecular details are known about the processes that govern bacterial biofilm formation, however, archaea are ubiquitous in almost all habitats on Earth and can also form biofilms. In recent years, insights have been gained into the development of archaeal biofilms, how archaea communicate to form biofilms and how the switch from a free-living lifestyle to a sessile lifestyle is regulated. In this Review, we explore the different stages of archaeal biofilm development and highlight similarities and differences between archaea and bacteria on a molecular level. We also consider the role of archaeal biofilms in industry and their use in different industrial processes.

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Fig. 1: The different stages of archaeal biofilm formation.
Fig. 2: Archaeal biofilms.

Part a adapted from ref.16, Springer Nature Limited. Image in part b courtesy of C. Moissl-Eichinger, Medical University Graz, Austria, and G. Wanner, University of Munich, Germany. Part c adapted from ref.43, CC-BY-4.0. Part d adapted from ref.15, CC-BY-4.0. Image in part e courtesy of J. Berger, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany. Part f adapted from ref.79, CC-BY-3.0.

Fig. 3: Sulfolobus acidocaldarius biofilm formation.

Part a reproduced from ref.11. Part a adapted from ref.11, CC-BY-4.0. Parts b–d republished with permission of Annual Reviews, from Archaeal Biofilms: The Great Unexplored. Orell, A., Fröls, S. & Albers, S. V., 67 (1), 2013; permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.

Fig. 4: Regulation of biofilm development in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and Haloferax volcanii.

Part a adapted from ref.50, Springer Nature Limited.

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Acknowledgements

A.O. received intramural funding from the Max Planck Society, and M.v.W. and S.V.A. were supported by a European Research Council starting grant (52311; ARCHAELLUM).

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Marleen van Wolferen, Alvaro Orell

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II, Microbiology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Marleen van Wolferen & Sonja-Verena Albers

  2. Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany

    Alvaro Orell

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M.v.W., A.O. and S.V.A. researched data for the article, substantially contributed to discussion of content, wrote the article and reviewed and edited the manuscript before submission.

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Glossary

Sessile communities

Immobilized communities of cells attached to a surface.

Extracellular polymeric substances

(EPSs). Extracellular biopolymers (including polysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins and lipids) that provide structural support to the biofilm and nutrition to the surrounding cells.

Microcolonies

Colonies of cells that can be observed only through a microscope.

Syntrophy

The symbiotic relationship between two different species in which one or both benefit from the other through metabolic interactions.

Acid mine drainages

Discharges of acidic water, often containing toxic compounds, from coal or metal mines.

Reverse methanogenesis

The anaerobic oxidation of methane.

Biodegradation

The breakdown of materials by microorganisms or through other biological means.

Bioleaching

The extraction of metals from their ores by means of microorganisms, which convert insoluble metals into a soluble form.

Archaella

Archaeal motility structures analagous to flagella but homologous in their subunit composition to T4P.

Cytoplasmic bridges

Structures between two cells that connect their cytoplasms.

Nanowires

Electrically conductive appendages of a few nanometres in diameter formed by certain microorganisms.

Pyrite

An iron sulfide with the chemical formula FeS2.

Ced system

A transporter essential for the exchange of chromosomal DNA between connecting Sulfolobus cells. Homologues can be found in several Crenarchaeota.

Quorum-sensing inducers

Signalling molecules produced by microorganisms that allow the communication between cells in response to changes in population density.

Carboxylated acyl homoserine lactones

(AHLs). A class of quorum-sensing signalling molecules.

Persister cells

Dormant cells that are phenotypic variants of the wild-type population. They are highly tolerant to different stresses.

Autoinducer

(AI-2). A class of quorum-sensing signalling molecules.

Second messenger

An intracellular signalling molecule that acts in response to extracellular molecules and triggers signal transduction cascades.

Grass silage

Fermented grass.

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van Wolferen, M., Orell, A. & Albers, SV. Archaeal biofilm formation. Nat Rev Microbiol 16, 699–713 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-018-0058-4

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