Editing Biofilm (section)

== Eukaryotic ==
{{See also|Phototrophic biofilms}}
Along with bacteria, biofilms are often initiated and produced by eukaryotic microbes. The biofilms produced by eukaryotes is usually occupied by bacteria and other eukaryotes alike, however the surface is cultivated and EPS is secreted initially by the eukaryote.<ref name="pmid16897306"/><ref name="Van Colen 2014" /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cooksey K, Wigglesworth-Cooksey B | year = 1995 | title = Adhesion of bacteria and diatoms to surfaces in the sea: a review | journal = Aquatic Microbial Ecology | volume = 9 | issue = 1| pages = 87–96 | doi=10.3354/ame009087| doi-access = free }}</ref> Both [[Fungus|fungi]] and [[microalgae]] are known to form biofilms in such a way. Biofilms of fungal origin are important aspects of human infection and fungal pathogenicity, as the fungal infection is more resistant to antifungals.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Fanning S, Mitchell AP | year = 2012 | title = Fungal Biofilms | journal = PLOS Pathog | volume = 8 | issue = 4| page = e1002585 | doi = 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002585 | pmid = 22496639 | pmc = 3320593 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="pmid11514524">{{cite journal | vauthors = Chandra J, Kuhn DM, Mukherjee PK, Hoyer LL, McCormick T, Ghannoum MA | title = Biofilm formation by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans: development, architecture, and drug resistance | journal = J. Bacteriol. | volume = 183 | issue = 18 | pages = 5385–94 | date = September 2001 | pmid = 11514524 | pmc = 95423 | doi =10.1128/jb.183.18.5385-5394.2001 }}</ref>

In the environment, fungal biofilms are an area of ongoing research. One key area of research is fungal biofilms on plants. For example, in the soil, plant associated fungi including [[mycorrhiza]] have been shown to decompose organic matter and protect plants from bacterial pathogens.<ref>{{cite book| vauthors = Burmølle M, Kjøller A, Sørenses S | veditors = Lear G, Gavin L, Lewis G |title=Microbial Biofilms: Current Research and Applications|date=2012|publisher=Horizon Scientific Press|isbn=978-1-904455-96-7|pages=61–71}}</ref>

Biofilms in aquatic environments are often founded by [[diatom]]s. The exact purpose of these biofilms is unknown, however there is evidence that the EPS produced by diatoms facilitates both cold and salinity stress.<ref name="pmid27009999"/><ref name="pmid25268215">{{cite journal | vauthors = Steele DJ, Franklin DJ, Underwood GJ | title = Protection of cells from salinity stress by extracellular polymeric substances in diatom biofilms | journal = Biofouling | volume = 30 | issue = 8 | pages = 987–98 | date = September 2014 | pmid = 25268215 | pmc = 4706044 | doi = 10.1080/08927014.2014.960859 | bibcode = 2014Biofo..30..987S }}</ref> These eukaryotes interact with a diverse range of other organisms within a region known as the [[phycosphere]], but importantly are the bacteria associated with diatoms, as it has been shown that although diatoms excrete EPS, they only do so when interacting with certain bacteria species.<ref name="pmid26986529">{{cite journal | vauthors = Windler M, Leinweber K, Bartulos CR, Philipp B, Kroth PG | title = Biofilm and capsule formation of the diatom Achnanthidium minutissimum are affected by a bacterium | journal = J. Phycol. | volume = 51 | issue = 2 | pages = 343–55 | date = April 2015 | pmid = 26986529 | doi = 10.1111/jpy.12280 | bibcode = 2015JPcgy..51..343W | s2cid = 1446573 | url = http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-0-289776 }}</ref><ref name="pmid23757240">{{cite journal | vauthors = Buhmann M, Kroth PG, Schleheck D | title = Photoautotrophic-heterotrophic biofilm communities: a laboratory incubator designed for growing axenic diatoms and bacteria in defined mixed-species biofilms | journal = Environ Microbiol Rep | volume = 4 | issue = 1 | pages = 133–40 | date = February 2012 | pmid = 23757240 | doi = 10.1111/j.1758-2229.2011.00315.x | bibcode = 2012EnvMR...4..133B | url = http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:352-177088 }}</ref>