Biofouling is the undesirable accumulation of living organisms and their metabolites on submerged surfaces. Biofouling begins with adhesion of biomacromolecules and/or microorganisms and can lead to the subsequent formation of biofilms that are predominantly regulated by chemical signals, such as cyclic dinucleotides and quorum-sensing molecules. Biofilms typically release chemical cues that recruit or repel other invertebrate larvae and algal spores. As such, harnessing the biochemical mechanisms involved is a promising avenue for controlling biofouling. Here, we discuss how chemical signaling affects biofilm formation and dispersion in model species. We also examine how this translates to marine biofouling. Both inductive and inhibitory effects of chemical cues from biofilms on macrofouling are also discussed. Finally, we outline promising mitigation strategies by targeting chemical signaling to foster biofilm dispersion or inhibit biofouling.

生物污垢是生物体及其代谢物在水下表面的不良积累。生物污垢始于生物大分子和/或微生物的粘附，并可能导致随后形成主要受化学信号调节的生物膜，例如环状二核苷酸和群体感应分子。生物膜通常会释放化学线索，招募或排斥其他无脊椎动物幼虫和藻类孢子。因此，利用所涉及的生化机制是控制生物污垢的一种有前途的途径。在这里，我们讨论了化学信号如何影响模式物种中的生物膜形成和分散。我们还研究了这如何转化为海洋生物污垢。还讨论了生物膜的化学线索对宏观污垢的诱导和抑制作用。最后，我们通过靶向化学信号来促进生物膜分散或抑制生物污染，概述了有前途的缓解策略。