What refers to colonies of microorganisms that create sticky coatings on surfaces?

The term that refers to colonies of microorganisms creating sticky coatings on surfaces is biofilms. Biofilms consist of diverse communities of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and sometimes algae, that adhere to surfaces and each other within a protective matrix made primarily of polysaccharides. This matrix allows the microorganisms to thrive and can form on a variety of surfaces, including natural environments like rocks in streams as well as artificial surfaces such as medical devices and plumbing systems.

Biofilms have significant implications in various fields, including healthcare, where they can lead to persistent infections, and in environmental science, where they play a role in nutrient cycling. Understanding biofilms is crucial for developing strategies to manage or eradicate undesirable bacterial colonies, especially in clinical and industrial settings.

In contrast, bacterial spores are a dormant form of bacteria that allows them to survive extreme conditions but do not refer to the colonies or the coating aspect. Viruses are infectious agents that require host cells to replicate and do not form biofilms. Plasmids are small, circular DNA molecules found in bacteria that are involved in genetic exchange and do not pertain to the concept of microbial colonies or their sticky coatings.