New avenues of combating antibiotic resistance by targeting cryptic pockets

Antibiotic resistance is a global health concern that is rapidly spreading among human and animal pathogens. Developing novel antibiotics is one of the most significant approaches to surmount antibiotic resistance. Given the difficult in identifying novel targets, cryptic binding sites provide new pockets for compounds design to combat antibiotic resistance. However, there exists a lack of comprehensive analysis and discussion on the successful utilization of cryptic pockets in overcoming antibiotic resistance. Here, we systematically analyze the crucial role of cryptic pockets in neutralizing antibiotic resistance. First, antibiotic resistance development and associated resistance mechanisms are summarized. Then, the advantages and mechanisms of cryptic pockets for overcoming antibiotic resistance were discussed. Specific cryptic pockets in resistant proteins and successful case studies of designed inhibitors are exemplified. This review provides insight into the discovery of cryptic pockets for drug design as an approach to overcome antibiotic resistance.