AUTHOR=Sadeeq Mohd , Li Yu , Wang Chaozhi , Hou Feifei , Zuo Jia , Xiong Peng 

TITLE=Unlocking the power of antimicrobial peptides: advances in production, optimization, and therapeutics

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2025.1528583

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2025.1528583

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are critical effectors of innate immunity, presenting a compelling alternative to conventional antibiotics amidst escalating antimicrobial resistance. Their broad-spectrum efficacy and inherent low resistance development are countered by production challenges, including limited yields and proteolytic degradation, which restrict their clinical translation. While chemical synthesis offers precise structural control, it is often prohibitively expensive and complex for large-scale production. Heterologous expression systems provide a scalable, cost-effective platform, but necessitate optimization. This review comprehensively examines established and emerging AMP production strategies, encompassing fusion protein technologies, molecular engineering approaches, rational peptide design, and post-translational modifications, with an emphasis on maximizing yield, bioactivity, stability, and safety. Furthermore, we underscore the transformative role of artificial intelligence, particularly machine learning algorithms, in accelerating AMP discovery and optimization, thereby propelling their expanded therapeutic application and contributing to the global fight against drug-resistant infections.