Health Benefits of Biofilm Lifestyle in the Host

Dear Colleagues,

In all natural habitats, microbes tend to naturally form a "biological film" on surfaces, which we call biofilms. Numerous host mucosal surfaces are thus naturally colonized by microbial biofilms, such as in the oral cavity (interacting with the teeth, tongue, or gingival tissue), the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, colon, and appendix), the skin, the vagina, the nasopharynx, and the lungs. Interacting with mucosal surfaces, in vivo biofilms can be seen as extremely complex microbial ecosystems forming an ecological network, embedded in a microbial/host biopolymer matrix, and either firmly, loosely, or unattached to mucosal surfaces. Thus, the field would strongly benefit from works that would help us to surpass our mental perception of what an in vivo biofilm is, as well as how it naturally interacts with its host. Although central in chronic infectious disorders, it remains unclear how the biofilm lifestyle may contribute to host physiology. With this in mind, this Special Issue will welcome works aiming to decipher how mucosal biofilms naturally interact with their adjacent tissues in the context of various organs, such as in the gastrointestinal tract, vagina, airways, and skin, both within and between these organ systems. This Special Issue could also gather works aiming to visualize microbial microhabitats (microbial biogeography) throughout healthy mucosal surfaces. The contribution of mucosal biofilms to the probiotic properties of some specific strains could also be discussed.

This Special Issue could discuss the following specific topics, but is not limited to them:

• Characterization of microbial biogeography at mucosal surfaces in health and disease;
• Beneficial host functions driven by mucosal biofilm formation;
• Intermucosal connections among microbial biofilms;
• Role of host environmental changes in biofilm phenotype or composition;
• Biologically relevant biofilm models, in vitro to in vivo and ex vivo;
• Role of the biofilm lifestyle in the protective properties of probiotics;
• Metabolism of drugs by mucosal biofilms.

Dr. Jean-Paul Motta
Guest Editor

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• healthy biofilms
• host mucosal surface
• host–biofilm interaction
• polymicrobial biofilm
• in vivo models
• microbial biogeography