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Antibiotics
Special Issues
Novel Antimicrobial Agents to Inhibit Microbial Conglomerates
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Novel Antimicrobial Agents to Inhibit Microbial Conglomerates

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Novel Antimicrobial Agents".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (24 February 2024) | Viewed by 21145

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Paramasivam Nithyanand

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Guest Editor
Biofilm Biology Laboratory, Centre for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Tirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur 613 401, Tamil Nadu, India
Interests: marine microbial ecology; biofilm biology; anti-biofilm implants
Prof. Dr. Shunmugiah Karutha Pandian

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Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630003, Tamilnadu, India
Interests: alternative to antibiotics; functional genomics & proteomics; microbial genomics; molecular phylogeny and antibiofilm therapy
Dr. Wilson Santhosh Kumar Aruni

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Guest Editor
Vice Chancellor, Amity University, Mumbai, India
Interests: medical microbiology; host-pathogen interaction; biofilmology; vaccinology
Prof. Dr. Ariel Kushmaro

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Guest Editor
Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, The Ilse Katz Center for Meso and Nanoscale Science and Technology and NIBN, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
Interests: environmental microbiology; natural compounds; marine biology and microbiology; biofilm; genomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues，

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is becoming a serious global threat, pushing microbiologists to search for novel antimicrobials and antimicrobial alternatives. With this rising resistance against conventional antibiotics, there is an urgent need for alternative ways to fight bacterial infection. This problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is further heightened as pathogens grow as conglomerates. This mass gathering lifestyle of pathogens is often referred to as biofilm, wherein the pathogens coat themselves with a combination of sugars, creating an exopolysaccharide matrix that aids them in adhering to biological or non-biological surfaces. The biofilm matrix aids in inter- and intra-kingdom communication, which enhances pathogenicity and prevents antibiotics from reaching the cells engulfed inside the matrix. This makes the pathogens inside the biofilm 100 times more drug-resistant when compared to their planktonic counterparts. Currently, several studies report on the repurposing of existing drugs in combination with biofilm-disrupting agents, yet pathogens seem to be gaining the upper hand. Thus, this Special Issue focuses on unearthing novel antimicrobials from different sources and finding novel approaches to dismantle biofilms. Combinatorial chemistry approaches for antimicrobial and anti-infectives are also welcome. Topics of interest include:

  • Novel culturing methods to unearth novel antibiofilm compounds;
  • Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to design antimicrobial peptides against drug-resistant pathogens;
  • ‘Omics’ techniques involved in mining antibiotic genes from Eubacteria and Archaebacteria;
  • Novel quorum sensing inhibitors;
  • Rationale designing of biofilm-disrupting enzymes;
  • Biofilm inhibitors from marine bacteria and marine natural compounds;
  • Traditional culinary herbs, spices and desert plants of India and Israel as a source of novel antibiofilm compounds;
  • The antimicrobial potential of microbial and plant volatiles;
  • Discovering novel antifungal/antibiofilm agents against drug-resistant Candida;
  • Drug formulations, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics of antibiofilm agents;
  • Antimicrobials for viral-infection-associated co-bacterial infections.

 Scope of the topic:

This topic fits very well within the scope of the journal Antibiotics as it invites a wide collection of papers on novel antimicrobials that act on biofilms. As one of the topics is antimicrobials from Archaebacteria, antimicrobial/antibiofilm compounds from extremophiles are anticipated to attract a wide readership.

Prof. Dr. Paramasivam Nithyanand
Prof. Dr. Shunmugiah Karutha Pandian
Dr. Wilson Santhosh Kumar Aruni
Prof. Dr. Ariel Kushmaro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 5375 KiB  
Article
3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM): A Potential Therapeutic Agent against Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans Biofilm
by Yifat Baruch, Karina Golberg, Qun Sun, Karina Yew-Hoong Gin, Robert S. Marks and Ariel Kushmaro
Antibiotics 2023, 12(6), 1017; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12061017 - 6 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 14907
Abstract
Indole, a metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan, has been proven to act as a signal molecule in bacteria, acting in different aspects of biofilm formation. The oral biofilm is a type of biofilm that has consequences for human health. It is a [...] Read more.
Indole, a metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan, has been proven to act as a signal molecule in bacteria, acting in different aspects of biofilm formation. The oral biofilm is a type of biofilm that has consequences for human health. It is a complex, three-dimensional structure that develops on the surface of teeth via the attachment of primary microbial colonizers. Many oral infections are caused by an imbalance occurring in the microorganisms naturally found in oral biofilms and are considered major public health concerns. In this study, we test the effect of a natural bis-indole, 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM), in mitigating the pathogenicity of the oral biofilm inhabiting bacterium Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium that is considered to be a principal etiological agent in dental caries. Our study found that DIM was able to attenuate S. mutans biofilm formation by 92%. Additionally, treatment with DIM lowered extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production and decreased its durability significantly under acidic conditions. Therefore, the anti-biofilm and anti-virulence properties of DIM against S. mutans bacteria in an “oral setting” provides evidence for its usefulness in reducing biofilm formation and potentially for caries attenuation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Antimicrobial Agents to Inhibit Microbial Conglomerates)
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18 pages, 3404 KiB  
Article
The Anti-Biofilm Potential of Linalool, a Major Compound from Hedychium larsenii, against Streptococcus pyogenes and Its Toxicity Assessment in Danio rerio
by Sarath Praseetha, Swapna Thacheril Sukumaran, Mathew Dan, Akshaya Rani Augustus, Shunmugiah Karutha Pandian and Shiburaj Sugathan
Antibiotics 2023, 12(3), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12030545 - 9 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1704
Abstract
The anti-biofilm and anti-virulence potential of the essential oil (E.O.) extracted from Hedychium larsenii M. Dan & Sathish was determined against Streptococcus pyogenes. A crystal violet assay was employed to quantify the biofilm. Linalool, a monoterpene alcohol from the E.O., showed concentration-dependent [...] Read more.
The anti-biofilm and anti-virulence potential of the essential oil (E.O.) extracted from Hedychium larsenii M. Dan & Sathish was determined against Streptococcus pyogenes. A crystal violet assay was employed to quantify the biofilm. Linalool, a monoterpene alcohol from the E.O., showed concentration-dependent biofilm inhibition, with a maximum of 91% at a concentration of 0.004% (v/v). The AlamarBlueTM assay also confirmed Linalool’s non-bactericidal anti-biofilm efficacy (0.004%). Linalool treatment impeded micro-colony formation, mature biofilm architecture, surface coverage, and biofilm thickness and impaired cell surface hydrophobicity and EPS production. Cysteine protease synthesis was quantified using the Azocasein assay, and Linalool treatment augmented its production. This suggests that Linalool destabilizes the biofilm matrix. It altered the expression of core regulons covRS, mga, srv, and ropB, and genes associated with virulence and biofilm formation, such as speB, dltA, slo, hasA, and ciaH, as revealed by qPCR analysis. Cytotoxicity analysis using human kidney cells (HEK) and the histopathological analysis in Danio rerio proved Linalool to be a druggable molecule against the biofilms formed by S. pyogenes. This is the first report on Linalool’s anti-biofilm and anti-virulence potential against S. pyogenes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Antimicrobial Agents to Inhibit Microbial Conglomerates)
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Review

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31 pages, 2122 KiB  
Review
Polymicrobial Infections and Biofilms: Clinical Significance and Eradication Strategies
by V T Anju, Siddhardha Busi, Madangchanok Imchen, Ranjith Kumavath, Mahima S. Mohan, Simi Asma Salim, Pattnaik Subhaswaraj and Madhu Dyavaiah
Antibiotics 2022, 11(12), 1731; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11121731 - 1 Dec 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3910
Abstract
Biofilms are population of cells growing in a coordinated manner and exhibiting resistance towards hostile environments. The infections associated with biofilms are difficult to control owing to the chronicity of infections and the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Most microbial infections are contributed by [...] Read more.
Biofilms are population of cells growing in a coordinated manner and exhibiting resistance towards hostile environments. The infections associated with biofilms are difficult to control owing to the chronicity of infections and the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Most microbial infections are contributed by polymicrobial or mixed species interactions, such as those observed in chronic wound infections, otitis media, dental caries, and cystic fibrosis. This review focuses on the polymicrobial interactions among bacterial-bacterial, bacterial-fungal, and fungal-fungal aggregations based on in vitro and in vivo models and different therapeutic interventions available for polymicrobial biofilms. Deciphering the mechanisms of polymicrobial interactions and microbial diversity in chronic infections is very helpful in anti-microbial research. Together, we have discussed the role of metagenomic approaches in studying polymicrobial biofilms. The outstanding progress made in polymicrobial research, especially the model systems and application of metagenomics for detecting, preventing, and controlling infections, are reviewed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Antimicrobial Agents to Inhibit Microbial Conglomerates)
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