About this Research Topic
Bacteria can promote the spread of infectious diseases and seriously threaten human life and health. The overuse of antibiotics, a series of agents that can inhibit bacteria's growth, has led to antibiotic resistance. And it threatens the conventional treatment of bacterial infectious diseases. Unfortunately, as the discovery of new antibiotics is declining, and the use of antibiotics is coupled with antibiotic resistance, a global health crisis may occur. It has been predicted that 10 million lives might be lost due to infections with antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens by 2050. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new antibacterial agents. Generally, antibiotics attack bacteria by inhibiting the synthesis of bacterial cell walls, RNA, or DNA, or by disturbing the integrity of the cell membrane. Our knowledge of these mechanisms is often based on evidence at the cellular level. Insight into the molecular mechanism of antibiotics is not always available.
This research topic focuses on the functional and molecular mechanisms and targets of antibiotics. One of the potential targets of novel antibiotics is the bacterial membrane. For instance, SCH-79797 has been reported to kill both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria through a dual-targeting mechanism. It has two independent cellular targets, folate metabolism, and bacterial membrane integrity, which have been proved by combining proteomic, genetic, metabolomic, and cell-based assays. The novel antibiotic SLAP-S25 can induce damage to bacterial membranes by binding to both lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the outer membrane and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. In addition, it was found that aerobactin could inhibit BamA and disrupt the formation of a functional outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.
This special issue accepts Original Research, Methods, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, and Perspectives. The research topic will cover, but is not limited to, the following:
• Discovery and molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial agents that directly target cellular membranes.
• Antimicrobial agents that regulate the synthesis of biomacromolecules related to membranes.
•. Novel methods for the discovery of antimicrobial agents.
This research topic focuses on the functional and molecular mechanisms and targets of antibiotics. One of the potential targets of novel antibiotics is the bacterial membrane. For instance, SCH-79797 has been reported to kill both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria through a dual-targeting mechanism. It has two independent cellular targets, folate metabolism, and bacterial membrane integrity, which have been proved by combining proteomic, genetic, metabolomic, and cell-based assays. The novel antibiotic SLAP-S25 can induce damage to bacterial membranes by binding to both lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the outer membrane and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. In addition, it was found that aerobactin could inhibit BamA and disrupt the formation of a functional outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.
This special issue accepts Original Research, Methods, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, and Perspectives. The research topic will cover, but is not limited to, the following:
• Discovery and molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial agents that directly target cellular membranes.
• Antimicrobial agents that regulate the synthesis of biomacromolecules related to membranes.
•. Novel methods for the discovery of antimicrobial agents.
Keywords: Broad-spectrum of antimicrobial activity; Molecular mechanism; Target investigation
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.
