Biofilms are the main mode of life for environmental bacteria (Flemming et al., 2016) and are considered to be complex assemblages of various living microorganisms in an extracellular matrix composed of polysaccharides, exudates, cell lysis products and surface-absorbed elements such as nutrients and contaminants (Flemming et al., 2016). In rivers and streams, biofilms are present on many natural submerged surfaces such as rocks, aquatic plants, tree branches and plant waste. They are also present on man-made submerged surfaces such as plastic waste. Many studies have shown that river biofilms are important environmental reservoirs of resistance genes and antibiotic resistant bacteria (Abe et al., 2020).
Microbial genetic diversification in biofilms may therefore contribute to antibiotic resistance. In addition, the microorganisms present in biofilms seem to show high tolerance and resistance to antibiotics. All of this suggests that biofilms appear to be a suitable environment for the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the natural environment.
For these reasons, we want to characterise the microbiome and the resistome of biofilms from the rivers of Guadeloupe.
