Antimicrobial and Antibody Development in Plants: From Basic Research to Translational Applications

Dear Colleagues,  

Plant systems as “production platforms” of therapeutically important metabolites have witnessed substantial translational success, attributed to the advances in plant biotechnology, immunology, and molecular biology. The plant systems have been used to produce biopharmaceutical proteins, vaccines, antimicrobials, monoclonal antibodies, etc. redefining the trends in plant-based production of value-added metabolites in recent times. The plant systems display several advantages including low production costs, lack of contaminants, well-defined systems, and ease of scalability compared to their other counterparts.

In the present decade, antimicrobials are emerging as potential candidates to tackle the growing menace of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with potent efficacy against ‘drug-resistant’ superbugs. The discovery of fewer antibiotics and injudicious use of conventional ones have rendered them ineffective, necessitating a need to explore alternative sources. Several antimicrobials have been discovered demonstrating direct bactericidal and/or reversal of drug resistance, thus, holding a key to combat AMR. However, challenges with low in planta concentration, eco-geographical variations, climate fluctuations, and excessive exploitation of plant sources have limited the complete utilization of antimicrobials (Tiwari et al. 2021). Recent advances in synthetic biology have immensely contributed to genetic manipulations of plant systems via genome editing, RNA interference, system biology, and metabolic engineering, among others. Plant systems as ‘engineering platforms’ defines prospective tools to produce antimicrobials, with successful initiatives towards pathway reconstitution, gene cluster expression, and expression of metabolic pathways in heterologous plant systems (Sharma et al. 2022). Key examples of antimicrobials include Berberine (restricts P. aeruginosa via inhibiting the efflux pump MexAB-OprM), Carvacrol (against Bacillus cereus by altering membrane permeability), Quercetin (inhibits E. coli DNA gyrase and ATPase activity), Gallic acid from berry (active against Salmonella spp. and results in permeabilization of outer membrane) and others with distinct antimicrobial mechanisms (Tiwari et al. 2022).

Another area of significant interest includes the production of therapeutic antibodies in plants. Effective production requires optimal expression in plants with regulatory elements, post-translational processing, and efficient purification methods for maximal recovery. Recent advances in plant biotechnology have facilitated the efficient production of plant-based monoclonal antibodies. The production of both antibody fragments and complete antibodies in transgenic plant systems defines fascinating possibilities to plant biologists. Since the first report of antibody production in Nicotiana tabacum (Hiatt et al. 1989), antibody expression was performed in multiple dicots and monocot species (Stoger et al. 2005) with successful use of different expression strategies: vector-dependent (Agrobacterium or viral) or vector-free transformation and stable/transient expression. However, several challenges need to be addressed to maximize the efficiency of plant systems for antibody production with respect to subcellular localization, optimal expression, and proteolytic degradation (Muynch et al. 2010). The development of an efficient plant system to produce anti-colorectal cancer monoclonal antibodies and anti-rabies monoclonal antibodies define major translational success in the present era.

The Special Issue entitled "Antimicrobial and Antibody Development in Plants: From Basic Research to Translational Applications" aims to explore the latest progress in antimicrobial and antibody production in plant systems. Furthermore, the increasing prospects of plant-based therapeutic metabolites, synthetic biology for genetic manipulation of plant systems, an insight into key examples of translational success, and addressing challenges in efficient antibody and antimicrobial production comprise the key sub-topics in the Special Issue. We invite contributions from experts and eminent researchers for the contribution of a research/review/commentaries thereby making a substantial input in gaining knowledge and insights on the recent trends/developments in the above-mentioned areas.

The topics/sub-theme in the forthcoming Special Issue defines the following areas (but are not limited to):

• Recent trends and developments in plant-based production of antimicrobials.
• Production of antimicrobial in plants- Key examples, Prospects, and Translational success.
• Biotechnological interventions in plant-based production of antimicrobials via CRISPR-Cas-mediated genome editing, RNA interference, metabolic engineering, and others.
• Plant biotechnology and the efficient production of plant-based monoclonal antibodies.
• Plant transgenic systems and the production of antibody fragments and complete antibodies.
• Prospects and challenges in plant system mediated antibody production.

References

• Tiwari P, Khare T, Shriram V, Bae H, and Kumar V (2021). Exploring synthetic biology strategies for producing potent antimicrobial phytochemicals. Biotechnology Advances, 48, May-June 2021, 107729, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107729.
• Quenon C, Hennebelle T, Butaud J-F, Ho R, Samaillie J, Neut C, Lehartel T, Rivière C, Siah A, Bonneau N, Sahpaz S, Anthérieu S, Lebegue N, Raharivelomanana P, Roumy V. Antimicrobial Properties of Compounds Isolated from Syzygium malaccense (L.) Merr. and L.M. Perry and Medicinal Plants Used in French Polynesia. Life, 2022; 12(5):733. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12050733.
• Tiwari P, Bajpai M, Sharma A (2022). Antimicrobials from medicinal plants: Key examples, success stories and prospects in tackling antibiotic resistance. Letters in Drug Design and Discovery, Bentham Science, Doi:10.2174/1570180819666220620102427.
• Sharma A, Mistry V, Kumar V, Tiwari P (2022). Production of effective phyto-antimicrobials via metabolic engineering strategies. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, Bentham Science, 22(13), 2022, 1068-1092.
• Hossain S, Urbi Z, Karuniawati H, Mohiuddin RB, Moh Qrimida A, Allzrag AMM, Ming LC, Pagano E, Capasso R. Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees: An Updated Review of Phytochemistry, Antimicrobial Pharmacology, and Clinical Safety and Efficacy. Life, 2021; 11(4):348. https://doi.org/10.3390/life11040348.
• Muynck BD, Navarre C, Boutry M (2010). Production of antibodies in plants: status after twenty years. Plant Biotechnology Journal, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2009.00494.x.
• Saifulazmi NF, Rohani ER, Harun S, Bunawan H, Hamezah HS, Nor Muhammad NA, Azizan KA, Ahmed QU, Fakurazi S, Mediani A, Sarian MN. A Review with Updated Perspectives on the Antiviral Potentials of Traditional Medicinal Plants and Their Prospects in Antiviral Therapy. Life, 2022; 12(8):1287. https://doi.org/10.3390/life12081287.
• Hiatt A, Cafferkey R and Bowdish K (1989). Production of antibodies in transgenic plants. Nature, 342, 76–78.
• Tiwari P, Srivastava Y, Kumar V (2022). Antimicrobial Peptides as Effective Agents Against Drug-Resistant Pathogens. In: Kumar V., Shriram V., Paul A., Thakur M. (eds) Antimicrobial Resistance. Springer, Singapore, pp. 289-322. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3120-7_11.
• Stoger E, Ma JKC, Fischer R and Christou P (2005). Sowing the seeds of success: pharmaceutical proteins from plants. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 16, 167–173.

Dr. Pragya Tiwari
Dr. Abhishek Sharma
Guest Editors

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• antimicrobials
• monoclonal antibodies
• CRISPR-Cas
• genetic engineering
• plant systems
• sustainable production