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Tuberculosis (TB), a leading infectious disease caused by the pathogen , poses a significant treatment challenge due to its unique characteristics and resistance to existing drugs. The conventional treatment regimens, which are lengthy and involve multiple drugs, often result in poor patient adherence and subsequent drug resistance, particularly with multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains. This highlights the urgent need for novel anti-TB therapies and new drug targets. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are natural host defense molecules present in all living organisms, offer a promising alternative to traditional small-molecule drugs. AMPs have several advantages, including their broad-spectrum activity and the potential to circumvent existing resistance mechanisms. However, their clinical application faces challenges such as stability, delivery, and potential toxicity. This review aims to provide essential information on AMPs, including their sources, classification, mode of action, induction within the host under stress, efficacy against , clinical status and hurdles to their use. It also highlights future research directions to address these challenges and advance the development of AMP-based therapies for TB.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00806 | DOI Listing |
mBio
September 2025
APC Microbiome Ireland, Biosciences Institute, Biosciences Research Institute, University College, Cork, Ireland.
Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides/proteins that can have narrow or broad inhibitory spectra and remarkable potency against clinically relevant pathogens. One such bacteriocin that is extensively used in the food industry and with potential for biotherapeutic application is the post-translationally modified peptide, nisin. Recent studies have shown the impact of nisin on the gastrointestinal microbiome, but relatively little is known of how abundant nisin production is in nature, the breadth of existing variants, and their antimicrobial potency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNucleic Acids Res
September 2025
Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985900 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5900, United States.
The global antibiotic resistance issue constitutes a driving force for developing host defense antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) into a new generation of antibiotics. To facilitate this development, we report the antimicrobial peptide database version 6 (APD6) with (i) the consolidated database platform, (ii) the most comprehensive AMP information pipeline (AMPIP), and (iii) the expanded wheel of function. As of 18 March 2025, the APD6 platform housed records for 5188 peptides, including 3306 natural, 1380 synthetic, and 239 predicted AMPs with systematic classification schemes for each group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Mater Chem B
September 2025
State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511436, China.
Globally, new antibiotic development lags behind the rapid evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Given the extensive research and development cycles, high costs, and risks associated with new pharmaceuticals, exploring alternatives to conventional antibiotics and enhancing their efficacy and safety is a promising strategy for addressing challenges in the post-antibiotic era. Previous studies have shown that antimicrobial peptides/peptidomimetics (AMPs) primarily use a membrane-disruption mechanism distinct from conventional antibiotics to exert bactericidal effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Biol Sci
September 2025
School of Life Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.
Insects, such as , rely on innate immune defences to combat microbial threats. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play an important role in limiting pathogen entry and colonization. Despite intensive research into the regulation and biochemical properties of antimicrobial peptides, their exact significance has remained uncertain due to the challenges of mutating small genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBioorg Chem
September 2025
School of Cosmetic Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand. Electronic address:
Although antimicrobial peptides possess potent antimicrobial activities, the high cost of production, based on amino acid length, has limited their therapeutic and cosmeceutical applications. This study aimed to produce and characterize de novo designed antimicrobial peptides derived from WSKK11 and WSRR11 for efficacy against acne-causing bacteria. Ten designed peptides were evaluated for antimicrobial, hemolytic, and cytotoxic activities, as well as, secondary structures by FTIR and modes of action.
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