Bacteriophages, Critical Biocatalysts of Bacterial Doom: The Dawn of a New Era in the Fight against Multidrug Resistant Bacteria, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Targeting and Design".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 4029

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
PhageLab – Laboratory of Biofilms and Bacteriophages, University of Sorocaba, Rodovia Raposo Tavares km 92.5, Vila Artura, Sorocaba CEP 18023-000, São Paulo, Brazil
Interests: structural and functional stabilization of protein entities; bacteriophages; transdermal drug delivery; phage-based biocontrol
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Antimicrobial therapy using bacteriophage particles for controlling infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria in humans assumes a particular relevance in present times. Over the past few years, the world has witnessed a dramatic increase in bacterial resistance to available antibiotics, in such a way that humankind is practically facing a “new pre-antibiotic era”. According to the World Alliance Against Antibiotic Resistance (WAAAR) Organization, founded in 2012, currently available antibiotics may become totally ineffective in only a few years due to either irrational prescription and self-medication, together with their extensive use in agriculture, aquaculture, and veterinary practices. The need to develop feasible and safe alternatives to antibiotics is therefore critical. In this context, the use of strictly lytic bacteriophage particles assumes a particular relevance for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Beyond the therapeutic applications in humans, there is much more being done worldwide to control pathogenic bacteria using phages, especially those responsible for plant diseases, for diseases in fish and shellfish, and bacteria responsible for infections in animals, that we hope contributors like you will highlight the importance of bacteriophage-based biocontrol of pathogens for the preservation of all life forms. This Special Issue aims to collect original contributions (research articles and reviews) describing and reporting recent advances and developments in the field of bacteriophage-based antimicrobial strategies, either laboratory studies or clinical applications.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Strictly lytic bacteriophage particles;
  • Determinants of bacteriophage host range;
  • Phage-based biocontrol of pathogenic bacteria in humans;
  • Phage-based biocontrol of phytopathogens in plants;
  • Phage-based biocontrol of pathogenic bacteria in veterinary medicine;
  • Phage-based biocontrol of pathogenic bacteria in aquaculture and mariculture;
  • Synthetic bacteriophages;
  • Computational analysis of bacteriophage genomic data;
  • Mechanisms of bacterial resistance to bacteriophages;
  • Predator-prey relationships in phage therapy;
  • Transdermal permeation of bacteriophage particles.

Prof. Dr. Victor Manuel Balcão
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • strictly lytic bacteriophage particles
  • phage-based control of phytopathogens
  • phage therapy in humans, animals and fish
  • bioinformatic tools for phage genomics
  • resistance to bacteriophages
  • anti-phage defense systems
  • transdermal permeation of bacteriophage particles

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

25 pages, 2075 KiB  
Review
The Role of Bacteriophages in the Gut Microbiota: Implications for Human Health
by Stephen C. Emencheta, Chinasa V. Olovo, Osita C. Eze, Chisom F. Kalu, Dinebari P. Berebon, Ebele B. Onuigbo, Marta M. D. C. Vila, Victor M. Balcão and Anthony A. Attama
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(10), 2416; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15102416 - 3 Oct 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3478
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are nano-sized viruses characterized by their inherent ability to live off bacteria. They utilize diverse mechanisms to absorb and gain entry into the bacterial cell wall via the release of viral genetic material, which uses the replication mechanisms of the host [...] Read more.
Bacteriophages (phages) are nano-sized viruses characterized by their inherent ability to live off bacteria. They utilize diverse mechanisms to absorb and gain entry into the bacterial cell wall via the release of viral genetic material, which uses the replication mechanisms of the host bacteria to produce and release daughter progeny virions that attack the surrounding host cells. They possess specific characteristics, including specificity for particular or closely related bacterial species. They have many applications, including as potential alternatives to antibiotics against multi-resistant bacterial pathogens and as control agents in bacteria-contaminated environments. They are ubiquitously abundant in nature and have diverse biota, including in the gut. Gut microbiota describes the community and interactions of microorganisms within the intestine. As with bacteria, parasitic bacteriophages constantly interact with the host bacterial cells within the gut system and have obvious implications for human health. However, it is imperative to understand these interactions as they open up possible applicable techniques to control gut-implicated bacterial diseases. Thus, this review aims to explore the interactions of bacteriophages with bacterial communities in the gut and their current and potential impacts on human health. Full article
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