Marine microbial enzymes as potential antibiofilm agents: expanding the arsenal of bioactive agents targeting biofilm-forming microorganisms

Biofilms are one of the most successful modes of life in the biosphere. In these assemblages, bacteria usually display higher resistance to environmental stressors, thus making their removal through the use of conventional approaches significantly more difficult. Currently, biofilms are one of the major challenges in healthcare settings, often resulting in higher mortality and morbidity rates. Therefore, seeking alternative approaches to manage biofilm-related infections is important. In the last decades, marine microbiomes have been increasingly harnessed as sources of molecules with wide-ranging applications in both the biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors. This review focuses on enzymes as potential antibiofilm agents, more specifically those derived from marine prokaryotes. An overview of the recent findings regarding four main classes of biofilm-disrupting enzymes and their respective marine microbial producers, namely nucleases, dextranases, alginate lyases, and peptidases is provided. Key biochemical and activity-related features from the current literature are presented to showcase the potential of these biocatalysts for biofilm control and prevention. Future research directions are also discussed, highlighting factors and strategies for successful prospecting of antibiofilm enzymes from marine microbiomes. By offering a snapshot of this infant but promising field, this review evidences the marine environment as a fruitful biocatalytic reservoirs of antibiofilm agents.