Bacteriocins: antibiotics in the age of the microbiome

Egan, Kevin; Ross, R. Paul; Hill, Colin

Bacteriocins: antibiotics in the age of the microbiome

Files

Egan et al 2017 (Accepted manuscript).pdf(906.14 KB)

Accepted version

Date

2017-04-07

Authors

Egan, Kevin

Ross, R. Paul

Hill, Colin

Publisher

Portland Press

Published Version

10.1042/etls20160015

Abstract

Antibiotics have revolutionised the treatment of infectious disease and improved the lives of billions of people worldwide over many decades. With the rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and corresponding lack of antibiotic development, we find ourselves in dire need of alternative treatments. Bacteriocins are a class of bacterially produced, ribosomally synthesised, antimicrobial peptides that may be narrow or broad in their spectra of activity. Animal models have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of bacteriocins in treating a broad range of infections; however, one of the principal drawbacks has been their relatively narrow spectra when compared with small-molecule antibiotics. In an era where we are beginning to appreciate the role of the microbiota in human and animal health, the fact that bacteriocins cause much less collateral damage to the host microbiome makes them a highly desirable therapeutic. This review makes a case for the implementation of bacteriocins as therapeutic antimicrobials, either alone or in combination with existing antibiotics to alleviate the AMR crisis and to lessen the impact of antibiotics on the host microbiome.

Keywords

Antibiotic , Antimicrobial resistance , Bacteriocin , Microbiome , Probiotic

Citation

Egan, K., Ross, R. P. and Hill, C. (2017) 'Bacteriocins: antibiotics in the age of the microbiome', Emerging Topics in Life Sciences, 1(1), pp. 55-63. doi: 10.1042/etls20160015