Microbial Bioactives
Microbial Bioactives | Online ISSN 2209-2161
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Volume 5 Number 1 2022
REVIEWS (Open Access)
Emerging Strategies in Antimicrobial Research: Targeting Pathogens, Biofilms, and Microbiome Dysbiosis
Rabiatul Basria S. M. N. Mydin 1*, Nor Hazliana Harun 1
Microbial Bioactives 5 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/microbbioacts.5110700
Submitted: 17 December 2021 Revised: 03 February 2022 Accepted: 12 February 2022 Published: 14 February 2022
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens poses a critical challenge to global health, demanding innovative strategies to combat microbial infections. Traditional antibiotics, once highly effective, are increasingly compromised due to widespread resistance mechanisms, biofilm formation, and the persistence of dormant bacterial populations. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesize contemporary approaches to antimicrobial development, highlighting novel targets in bacterial metabolism, cell wall assembly, and quorum sensing pathways. Key metabolic enzymes, such as those in the L,L-diaminopimelate and shikimate pathways, offer promising avenues for selective inhibition, minimizing off-target effects in human hosts. Biofilm-associated resistance is addressed through quorum sensing inhibitors, enzymatic quorum quenching, and small-molecule modulators of cyclic-di-GMP, effectively disrupting bacterial communication and persistence. Advances in genomics, metagenomics, and culturomics have uncovered previously inaccessible microbial diversity, facilitating the discovery of natural products, bacteriophages, and engineered microbial therapeutics. High-throughput platforms and genome-mining tools, including antiSMASH and I-chip, have enabled identification of cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters and potent bioactive compounds. Moreover, next-generation probiotics demonstrate potential in restoring microbiome balance and mitigating pathogen overgrowth. Meta-analytic evidence reinforces the efficacy of these interventions in both reducing microbial virulence and enhancing conventional treatment outcomes. Collectively, this review underscores a multi-pronged, evidence-based approach integrating bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and microbiome modulation to address the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance.
Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Biofilms; Quorum sensing; Metabolic pathways; Natural products; Next-generation probiotics; Antimicrobial therapy
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