Table 1.

Proposed categories of anti-biofilm activity. “Before”, “During”, and “After” refer to the biofilm state of “Target” organisms which are being impacted by antibiotic action. “Use in Defense” and “Use as Offense” refer to the utility of these agents to producers. Note that no reference is made within these categories of the degree to which a biofilm has matured following its initiation; degrees of “During” in other words are not considered. Abbreviations are provided for subsequent reference, e.g., “δB” stands for “Defense Before” meaning antibiotic-mediated Defense (δ) against disseminating bacteria, thus acting on target bacteria Before (B) they have formed biofilms. Such actions could be mediated, in this case, by either planktonic or biofilm-associated organisms. See also Figure 1 for a graphic summary.

State of Targeted Biofilm (below):	Use in Defense (δ) (resource protection)	Use as Offense (ω) (resource acquisition)
“Before” (B) biofilms have formed as the target state	δB: Protection of antibiotic-producing organisms from death or displacement that may be mediated by target, disseminating bacteria (ωD-1 or ωD-3 represent what potentially is being protected against)	ωB: Destruction of target, disseminating bacteria in order to obtain nutrients that are directly associated with those bacteria (δD-1 could serve as a potential counter measure mediated by these target bacteria)
“During” (D) biofilm sessile existence as the target state	δD-1: Protection of antibiotic-producing disseminating organism from target, biofilm bacteria (ωB represents what potentially is being protected against); δD-2: Protection of antibiotic-producing organisms as found within biofilms from encroachment or consumption by adjacent, target, biofilm bacteria (ωD-2 or ωD-3 represent what potentially is being protected against)	ωD-1: Displacement of target, biofilm bacteria by disseminating, antibiotic-producing bacteria (in order to obtain “Space”); ωD-2: Encroachment by antibiotic-producing, biofilm bacteria on adjacent, target, biofilm bacteria (in order to obtain “Space”); ωD-3: Destruction of target, biofilm bacteria by antibiotic-producing organism in order to obtain nutrients from those target bacteria
“After” (A) biofilms have been disrupted as the target state	δA: Destruction of target bacteria that have been displaced from biofilms, in order to prevent competition for nutrients	ωA: Destruction of target bacteria that have been displaced from biofilms, in order to obtain nutrients from those bacteria