Molecular targets to develop future antimicrobials

Abstract

To overcome antibiotic resistance in pathogenic microorganisms, research work is being directed towards finding alternative targets in bacteria towards which novel antibiotics can be designed. One of the targets is cell-to-cell communication pathway, also called quorum sensing which is promising since it controls the expression of virulence genes. Another possible target is the segregation apparatus that is present in low copy number plasmids that may contain antibiotic resistance genes. Cellular elements that function in division or maintain the shape of the micro-organisms may be also used as alternative targets to affect cytokinesis or cause abnormalities in shape, which can or may lead to cell lysis. Additionally, certain metabolic pathways present in microbes do not exist in mammals and, therefore, may be exploited as novel targets without affecting the human host. Screening of ligands or chemical compounds from natural products may be useful in finding inhibitors acting on the above-mentioned cellular components, and it may lead to the design of future antibiotics.