The multidrug resistance (MDR) of bacteria and eukaryotic (oomycete, fungal, protozoan) pathogenic organisms is an enormous challenge of clinical, veterinary and plant pathogenic significance which invokes the developing of comprehensive strategies to combat it. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have demonstrated great potential as novel broad-spectrum therapeutic agents against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. AMPs are pivotal to the host defense, widely conserved across plants and animals, playing fundamental roles in bridging the innate and the adaptive immune system. Efforts to maximize AMPs antimicrobial activity and in vivo efficacy include both the identification, quantitative structure/activity relation (QSAR) analysis of natural AMPs and the designing, optimizing, synthesizing and screening of their chemical derivatives.
Symbiotic associations appear to be especially promising as a novel source of AMPs. In entomopathogenic nematode/ bacterium (EPN/EPB) symbioses, in which constitutes the focus of this research Topic, the bacterial partner produces non-ribosomal templated peptide molecules (NRP) via multi-enzyme thiol-template mechanisms mediated by two specific enzymes (i.e., non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS), and/or fatty acid synthase (FAS)-related polyketide synthases, PKS). Arguments to focus on this group of AMPs include their strong wide spectrum antimicrobial potential and heat tolerance. These AMPs have not been subjected to preclinical screens and the agricultural and anti-parasite perspectives are challenging as many parasitic Protista, plant pathogen and gut microbiota pathogens have proven susceptible to them in vitro

This Research Topic aims to bring together the latest research around the discovery and characterization of novel antimicrobial/ host defense peptides, derived from the symbiotic associations between Bacteria and Eukaryotes (preferably Nematode), which show potential against multi-resistant-plant, - veterinary, - and/or human clinical pathogens and parasites.

Subtopics of special interest are as follows:
• Natural (living or fossil) AMP-producing nematode/bacterium symbiotic associations from different global locations and experimentally constructed ones (e.g., symbiotic partner-exchange)
• In vitro and in vivo determination of antimicrobial-active potential and target spectrum of cell-free EPB media.
• Purification, structure identification, molecular design, and optimization of AMP molecules and derivatives.
• Genetic regulation of AMP biosynthesis: narrow and wide spectrum AMPs in bacterial and eukaryotic (Oomycetes, Fungi, Protista) target systems. Interactions with innate and induced native AMPs in these natural targets
Original Research Articles; Methods; Review articles; Mini Reviews; Hypothesis and Theory Articles are welcome.

Keywords: Antimicrobial-producing Bacteria/Eukaryota Symbioses, Entomopathogenic nematode/bacterium symbiotic complexes (EPN/EPB symbiotic associations), Wide Spectrum Antimicrobial peptides, (LTS-AMP), Multidrug resistance (MDR), Innate immunity / MAMPs

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