Development of Novel Drugs to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs in environments and hosts where microbes evolve to tolerate antimicrobial drug actions, and resistant microbial strains are naturally selected under certain environmental pressures. To date, the persistent use of antibiotics has led to abundant and diverse AMR genes in bacteria as well as in opportunistic bacterial pathogens. AMR can be mediated via several general mechanisms including the production of one or more hydrolytic enzymes (passivating enzymes and modifying enzymes); antibiotic targets modifications; decreased permeability of bacterial membranes; formation of bacterial biofilms; loss of channel proteins; or overexpression of efflux systems.

To address the global challenge that is AMR, it is critical for us to discover new and more potent antimicrobials (e.g., lysins, bacteriophages, new reagents). In addition to developing novel drugs with different scaffolds and new antimicrobial mechanisms of actions. The aim of this Research Topic is therefore to focus on recent advances in the development of new drugs and reagents against AMR bacteria, and their mechanisms of action.

We welcome Reviews, Original Research, Hypothesis and Theory, and Perspective articles on but not limited to, the following sub-themes:

1. Bacterial antibiotic resistance genes and resistance phenotypes as well as inhibitors to reverse resistance phenotypes and their mechanisms of action.
2. Bacterial quorum sensing and quorum sensing inhibitors.
3. Bacterial biofilm formation and biofilm formation inhibitors.
4. New antibiotics or new antibiotic targets.
5. Bacteriophage and phage-derived product development.