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Antimicrobial Peptides Produced by Selective Pressure Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids
Published on: May 4, 2018
The Best Peptidomimetic Strategies to Undercover Antibacterial Peptides
Joanna Izabela Lachowicz1, Kacper Szczepski2, Alessandra Scano3
1Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, Italy.
Abstract:
Health-care systems that develop rapidly and efficiently may increase the lifespan of humans. Nevertheless, the older population is more fragile, and is at an increased risk of disease development. A concurrently growing number of surgeries and transplantations have caused antibiotics to be used much more frequently, and for much longer periods of time, which in turn increases microbial resistance. In 1945, Fleming warned against the abuse of antibiotics in his Nobel lecture: "The time may come when penicillin can be bought by anyone in the shops. Then there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to non-lethal quantities of the drug make them resistant". After 70 years, we are witnessing the fulfilment of Fleming's prophecy, as more than 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases. Naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides protect all living matter against bacteria, and now different peptidomimetic strategies to engineer innovative antibiotics are being developed to defend humans against bacterial infections.
Insights
Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. Researchers are developing novel antimicrobial peptides and peptidomimetics to combat drug-resistant bacteria.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Healthcare advancements increase lifespan but also risk in older populations.
- Increased surgeries and organ transplants lead to prolonged antibiotic use.
- Widespread antibiotic use fuels the rise of antimicrobial resistance, a significant global health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the escalating crisis of antibiotic resistance.
- To discuss the historical context and Fleming's warnings on antibiotic misuse.
- To introduce novel strategies for developing new antibiotics.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical data and Fleming's Nobel lecture.
- Analysis of current trends in antibiotic resistance and mortality rates.
- Exploration of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides and peptidomimetic strategies.
Main Results:
- Over 700,000 deaths annually are attributed to drug-resistant infections.
- Fleming's 1945 prediction regarding antibiotic resistance has been realized.
- Development of innovative antibiotic strategies is underway.
Conclusions:
- Antimicrobial resistance poses a critical threat to public health.
- Peptidomimetic strategies offer a promising avenue for novel antibiotic development.
- Urgent action is needed to address the challenge of antibiotic resistance.
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