Bacterial persister cells, akin to a state of dormancy, exhibit reduced metabolic activity. These persister cells are present in various pathogenic bacteria and are aptly named due to their remarkable ability to withstand and resist current antibiotic treatments. Following antibiotic exposure, persister cells can repopulate the infection site, contributing to the persistence and recurrence of infections. Scientists believe these cells are central to the recurrence of chronic health conditions, including those affecting cystic fibrosis patients' airways, urinary tract infections, chronic suppurative otitis media, chronic wounds, orthopedic surgery implants, stomach ulcers, and tuberculosis. Given the challenges posed by persister cells, there is a significant and unmet medical need to develop novel therapies targeting this resilient subpopulation.
The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) is critical in our ongoing fight against antibiotic resistance. It represents the lowest antibiotic concentration necessary to halt visible bacterial growth. In our battle against multidrug-resistant bacteria, understanding the MIC values for new antibiotics is paramount, as higher MIC values signify increased resistance. However, the landscape becomes more complex when dealing with persister cells, which exhibit MIC values identical to those of susceptible bacteria, posing a unique challenge, making the MIC an unsuitable measure for antibiotic susceptibility.
The quest to address persister cells highlights a pressing clinical need, with no FDA-approved antibiotics currently effective against them. Additionally, our antibiotic discovery pipeline faces challenges in identifying compounds with novel modes of action. To expedite the development of anti-persister drugs, it is essential to establish innovative screening assays for new compounds, unravel the mechanisms of action for compounds showing promise against persister cells, and persistently pursue the discovery of new antibiotic candidates or the reformulation of existing antibiotics. This wealth of knowledge holds the potential to accelerate the creation of next-generation antibiotics, equipping us with more precise and effective tools in our ongoing battle against the challenge posed by persister cells in persistent bacterial infections.
This Research Topic welcomes contributions in the following areas:
• Identification of New Antibiotic Candidates: These papers are anticipated to focus on identifying potential antibiotics capable of eradicating persister cells, which are responsible for persistent bacterial infections.
• Antibiotic Reformulation: These papers are expected to explore innovative approaches for developing antibiotic adjuvants or modifying clinically available antibiotic compounds, aiming to improve their effectiveness in eliminating persister cells.
• Mechanisms of Action: These papers are expected to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms by which new antibiotic candidates or modification of clinically available antibiotic compounds function to eradicate persister cells.
• Development of primary screen assay(s): These papers are expected to include the development of screening assays for evaluating new compounds. These screening assays are designed to specifically target persister cells, measuring how effectively new compounds can eliminate or inhibit the activity of these persister cells.
Keywords:
Persister Cells, Antibiotics, Molecular Mechanism, Adjuvants, Screen Assay
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.
Bacterial persister cells, akin to a state of dormancy, exhibit reduced metabolic activity. These persister cells are present in various pathogenic bacteria and are aptly named due to their remarkable ability to withstand and resist current antibiotic treatments. Following antibiotic exposure, persister cells can repopulate the infection site, contributing to the persistence and recurrence of infections. Scientists believe these cells are central to the recurrence of chronic health conditions, including those affecting cystic fibrosis patients' airways, urinary tract infections, chronic suppurative otitis media, chronic wounds, orthopedic surgery implants, stomach ulcers, and tuberculosis. Given the challenges posed by persister cells, there is a significant and unmet medical need to develop novel therapies targeting this resilient subpopulation.
The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) is critical in our ongoing fight against antibiotic resistance. It represents the lowest antibiotic concentration necessary to halt visible bacterial growth. In our battle against multidrug-resistant bacteria, understanding the MIC values for new antibiotics is paramount, as higher MIC values signify increased resistance. However, the landscape becomes more complex when dealing with persister cells, which exhibit MIC values identical to those of susceptible bacteria, posing a unique challenge, making the MIC an unsuitable measure for antibiotic susceptibility.
The quest to address persister cells highlights a pressing clinical need, with no FDA-approved antibiotics currently effective against them. Additionally, our antibiotic discovery pipeline faces challenges in identifying compounds with novel modes of action. To expedite the development of anti-persister drugs, it is essential to establish innovative screening assays for new compounds, unravel the mechanisms of action for compounds showing promise against persister cells, and persistently pursue the discovery of new antibiotic candidates or the reformulation of existing antibiotics. This wealth of knowledge holds the potential to accelerate the creation of next-generation antibiotics, equipping us with more precise and effective tools in our ongoing battle against the challenge posed by persister cells in persistent bacterial infections.
This Research Topic welcomes contributions in the following areas:
• Identification of New Antibiotic Candidates: These papers are anticipated to focus on identifying potential antibiotics capable of eradicating persister cells, which are responsible for persistent bacterial infections.
• Antibiotic Reformulation: These papers are expected to explore innovative approaches for developing antibiotic adjuvants or modifying clinically available antibiotic compounds, aiming to improve their effectiveness in eliminating persister cells.
• Mechanisms of Action: These papers are expected to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms by which new antibiotic candidates or modification of clinically available antibiotic compounds function to eradicate persister cells.
• Development of primary screen assay(s): These papers are expected to include the development of screening assays for evaluating new compounds. These screening assays are designed to specifically target persister cells, measuring how effectively new compounds can eliminate or inhibit the activity of these persister cells.
Keywords:
Persister Cells, Antibiotics, Molecular Mechanism, Adjuvants, Screen Assay
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.