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Journals
Microorganisms
Special Issues
Beneficial Biofilms: From Mechanisms to Applications
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Beneficial Biofilms: From Mechanisms to Applications

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Biofilm".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 570

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tianpei Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Biopesticide Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: biofilm; bacillus; biological control
Dr. Miłosz Tkaczyk

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Diagnosticlab IBL, Department of Forest Protection, Forest Research Institute, Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090 Sękocin Stary, Poland
Interests: plant pathology; microbiology; plant protection; forestry; trees; biological control of plant diseases; fungi; oomycetes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although biofilms are often associated with pathogenicity, beneficial microbial biofilms play crucial roles in environmental sustainability, agriculture, industry, and health. These structured communities exhibit enhanced stress resistance, metabolic cooperation, and functionality in comparison to planktonic cells. This Special Issue highlights cross-disciplinary advances in harnessing beneficial biofilms beyond conventional harmful models. We invite contributions exploring novel mechanisms, ecological functions, and innovative applications of beneficial biofilms.

Dr. Tianpei Huang
Dr. Miłosz Tkaczyk
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • beneficial biofilms
  • microbial ecology
  • biofilm formation
  • environmental remediation
  • agricultural sustainability
  • industrial biotechnology
  • probiotic communities
  • quorum sensing
  • synthetic biology
  • sustainable solutions

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

21 pages, 962 KB  
Review
Biofilm as a Key Element in the Bacterial Pathogenesis of Forest Trees: A Review of Mechanisms and Ecological Implications
by Miłosz Tkaczyk
Microorganisms 2025, 13(12), 2649; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122649 - 21 Nov 2025
Viewed by 416
Abstract
Bacterial diseases of forest trees represent an increasing threat to ecosystem health and the sustainability and resilience of forest management, particularly under changing climate conditions. One of the key yet still insufficiently understood adaptive mechanisms of pathogens is biofilm formation—a structured community of [...] Read more.
Bacterial diseases of forest trees represent an increasing threat to ecosystem health and the sustainability and resilience of forest management, particularly under changing climate conditions. One of the key yet still insufficiently understood adaptive mechanisms of pathogens is biofilm formation—a structured community of bacterial cells embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which provides protection against stress factors, biocides, and the host’s defensive responses such as antimicrobial compounds or immune reactions. This paper presents a comprehensive review of current knowledge on the role of biofilms in the bacterial pathogenesis of forest trees, covering their formation mechanisms, molecular regulation, and ecological significance. Four key stages of biofilm development are discussed—adhesion, microcolony formation, EPS production, and dispersion—along with the roles of quorum sensing systems and c-di-GMP-based signaling in regulating these processes. Examples of major tree pathogens are presented, including Pseudomonas syringae, Erwinia amylovora, Xylella fastidiosa, the Brenneria–Gibbsiella complex associated with Acute Oak Decline (AOD) and Lonsdalea populi. Biofilm formation is shown to play a crucial role in the colonization of xylem, leaf surfaces, and tissues undergoing necrosis, where biofilms may stabilize decomposition zones and support saprophytic–pathogenic transitions. In the applied section, the concept of “biofilm-targeted control” is discussed, encompassing both chemical and biological strategies for disrupting biofilm structure—from quorum-sensing inhibitors and EPS-degrading enzymes to the use of biosurfactants and antagonistic microorganisms. The need for in situ research in forest environments and the adaptation of advanced imaging (CLSM, micro-CT) and metagenomic analyses to tree systems is also emphasized. This review concludes that biofilms are not merely a physiological form of bacterial organization but a complex adaptive system essential for the survival and virulence of pathogens in forest ecosystems. Understanding their functions is fundamental for developing sustainable and ecologically safe phytosanitary strategies for forest protection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beneficial Biofilms: From Mechanisms to Applications)
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