Bacterial pathogens: Potential source for antimicrobial peptides

Curr Protein Pept Sci. 2023 Jul 26. doi: 10.2174/1389203724666230726100303. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAs more antibiotics become ineffective due to drug-resistant bacteria, alternative therapies for infections must be prioritized. While pathogenic bacteria are a major threat, they also supply a massive reservoir of potential drugs for treating a wide range of illnesses. The concerning emergence of antimicrobial resistance and the rapidly dwindling therapeutic pipeline need the quick discovery and development of new antibiotics. Despite their great promise for natural product medicine development, pathogenic microorganisms have remained mostly unexplored and understudied. We review the antibacterial activity of specialized metabolites derived from pathogenic bacteria, emphasizing those presently in pre-clinical studies or with promise for medication development. Several atypical biosynthetic pathways are outlined, together with the crucial functions. We also discuss the mechanism of action and antibacterial activities of the antibiotics under consideration. Pathogenic bacteria as a rich source of antibiotics, along with recent advances in genomics and natural product research methods, may usher in a new golden age of antibiotic discovery.PMID:37496250 | DOI:10.2174/1389203724666230726100303
Source: Current Protein and Peptide Science - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Source Type: research