查看文章

A main characteristic associated with microbial biofilms is their increased resistance to antimicrobial chemotherapies. However, at present very little is known about the phenotypic changes that occur during the transition from the planktonic to the biofilm mode of growth. Candida albicans biofilms displayed an organized three-dimensional structure, and consisted of a dense network of yeasts and filamentous cells deeply embedded in exopolymeric matrix. These biofilms were intrinsically resistant to fluconazole. Moreover, the resistance phenotype was maintained by sessile cells when resuspended as free-floating cells, thus demonstrating that biofilm integrity and the presence of exopolymeric material are not the sole determinants of biofilm resistance. Under planktonic conditions, one of the main mechanisms of azole resistance in C. albicans is through active efflux of these drugs mediated by ATP-binding …