About this Research Topic

Background

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are fascinating unicellular eukaryotes, living freely in soil and freshwater habitats and feeding mainly on bacteria. Under stressful conditions, they can transform from a motile, metabolically active, and replicative trophozoite to a “dormant” and resistant cyst. Some FLA can be pathogenic to humans such as Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia, Naegleria, and Sappinia causing rare but fatal infection in humans. FLA are also known to be carriers of pathogenic microorganisms, but few information is currently available on the natural bacteria of FLA and how various bacteria avoid phagocytosis/predation by these specific types of amoebae. There is an imperious need to draw more attention to this group of microorganisms and for this we seek submissions that address advancements in the biology and pathogenesis of FLAs.

The aim of this article collection is to gather relevant papers reporting recent advances in free-living amoebae research, from basic to translational studies, including new pathogenic mechanisms, drug resistance, and to explore factors influencing host-microbial interactions, including pathogen-induced microbial signatures and modulation of the host immune system.

We wish to publish the latest cutting-edge reviews, mini-reviews, original research, brief research report, opinion pieces, and commentary from anyone interested in the field covering any of the following topics:
1) Omics approaches towards understanding free-living amoebae biology
2) Pathogenesis and immunology of free-living amoebae
3) Advances in free-living amoebae drug discovery- phenotypic, structure-based, natural products, nanoparticles-based therapeutics, biological therapeutics
4) Assessing host-parasite interactions (amoebae-host and bacteria-amoebae interactions)

We also welcome submissions reporting scientifically valid negative results, as sharing null and negative findings is important for scientific progress.

Keywords: free-living amoebae, non-pathogenic FLA, Naegleria, Balamuthia, Sappinia, Vermamoeba, Acanthamoeba, water, soil, FLA microbiome, OMICS, treatment, Amoebae, Biology, ecology, pathogenesis

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.

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