Synthetic biology platform technologies for antimicrobial applications

Area of Science:

• Synthetic biology
• Molecular biology
• Antimicrobial resistance

Background:

• Rising antibiotic resistance necessitates new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.
• Traditional antibiotics face challenges due to resistance and broad-spectrum action.
• Novel discovery platforms are crucial for identifying new antimicrobial agents and treatment approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review emerging synthetic biology platform technologies for antimicrobial applications.
• To highlight advancements in antimicrobial therapies, diagnostics, and discovery channels.
• To showcase how engineering principles applied to molecular biology address antimicrobial resistance.

Main Methods:

• Engineering of bacteriophages and synthetic probiotics for targeted antimicrobial action.
• Development of paper-based, cell-free expression systems for diagnostics.
• Application of synthetic biology principles to traditional molecular biology tools.

Main Results:

• Engineered bacteriophages and probiotics offer targeted antimicrobial strategies.
• Cell-free expression systems show promise for clinical diagnostics.
• Synthetic biology platforms provide improved, supplementary, and potentially supplanting alternatives to broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Conclusions:

• Synthetic biology is pivotal in developing next-generation antimicrobial therapies and diagnostics.
• Engineering biological systems enables fine-tuned, targeted approaches to combat resistance.
• These platforms are essential for advancing antimicrobial discovery and clinical translation.