About this Research Topic
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the process. Alternative therapy by probiotics to address certain health conditions in both animals and humans may alleviate antibiotic selective pressures on microorganisms and contribute to reducing the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Little is known about the mechanisms of action of probiotics, however, the recent expansion of genome editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas technologies available for probiotic bacteria will significantly advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which probiotics antagonize pathogens, thereby contribute to the development of novel prophylactic and therapeutic agents against infections. These technologies together with other synthetic biology approaches, Omics technologies, and computational bioinformatics will greatly advance our understanding of the role of probiotics in the maintenance of human health and boost the development of next-generation live biotherapeutics, which may contribute to reducing the global burden of antibiotic resistance.
This Research Topic receives both basic and applied types of research about health-promoting bacteria (such as lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, and Akkermansia muciniphila among others) in the treatment and prevention of i. bacterial such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VREF), Clostridium difficile, Helicobacter pylori, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, etc., ii. viral such as HIV, SARS-CoV-2, influenza, norovirus, rotavirus, etc., and iii. fungal such as Candida spp, Cryptococcus spp, etc. infections. We welcome the submission of Original Research, Methods, Perspective, Review, or Mini-Review that cover, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Isolation, identification, and characterization of novel probiotic candidates with antimicrobial properties;
- Molecular mechanisms of health-promoting bacteria in combating pathogens, including multi-drug resistant bacteria;
- Cross-talk of probiotics and/or probiotic candidates with the host and host-microbiota;
- Probiotic bacteria delivering therapeutics against bacterial and virus pathogens include antigens, antibodies, and other antimicrobials;
- New technologies to advance the mechanistic understanding and bioengineering of health-promoting bacteria.
This Research Topic receives both basic and applied types of research about health-promoting bacteria (such as lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, and Akkermansia muciniphila among others) in the treatment and prevention of i. bacterial such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VREF), Clostridium difficile, Helicobacter pylori, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, etc., ii. viral such as HIV, SARS-CoV-2, influenza, norovirus, rotavirus, etc., and iii. fungal such as Candida spp, Cryptococcus spp, etc. infections. We welcome the submission of Original Research, Methods, Perspective, Review, or Mini-Review that cover, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Isolation, identification, and characterization of novel probiotic candidates with antimicrobial properties;
- Molecular mechanisms of health-promoting bacteria in combating pathogens, including multi-drug resistant bacteria;
- Cross-talk of probiotics and/or probiotic candidates with the host and host-microbiota;
- Probiotic bacteria delivering therapeutics against bacterial and virus pathogens include antigens, antibodies, and other antimicrobials;
- New technologies to advance the mechanistic understanding and bioengineering of health-promoting bacteria.
Keywords: probiotics, pathogens, antimicrobials, antibiotic resistance, live biotherapeutics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
