Strategies to deliver nitric oxide donors to control biofilms of clinical and industrial interest.

Biofilms play a beneficial role in the environment and in many biotechnological applications, and also contribute in fouling of medical and industrial equipment. It is well known that biofilms are resistant to antimicrobial agents. Recently, nitric oxide (NO) has attracted attention as a molecule able to control biofouling. NO is a small molecule that affects multiple processes and functions in eukaryotic as well prokaryotic organisms. Current research has identified NO as an effective molecule to control biofilms. NO may act both as a bactericide and biofouling mediator, however, in many of the current strategies, donors serve as potent platform to control cellular adhesion, biofilm formation or dispersal and they may be not effective to kill pathogenic bacteria or fungi. Here, in this chapter current strategies for NO delivery to control biofilms of clinical and industrial interest are reviewed. This chapter highlights strategies and perspective to improve the effectiveness of NO donors in biotechnological applications.