About this Research Topic
The intensification of bacterial resistance is driving us into the post-antibiotic era. The inherent resistance of Gram-negative bacteria to many clinical antibiotics is primarily due to the formation of a natural permeable barrier against these antibiotics in their outer membrane. The Tol/Pal system is a highly conservative transmembrane system in Gram-negative bacteria. It is the main factor affecting the stability of the outer membrane and bacterial cell division, including bacterial outer membrane invagination, peptidoglycan remodeling and division of daughter cytoplasm. When bacteria divide, the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria must contract and sink in coordination with peptidoglycan and inner membrane layers. Bacteria are highly fragile during cell division. The coordinated contraction of three layers of the bacterial envelope is crucial to maintain the integrity of the bacterial structure. The abnormality of the key proteins that regulate the coordinated and orderly division of bacteria may be fatal to bacterial cells. In addition, the Tol/Pal system has considerable immunological characteristics, which can be used for vaccine development.
This Research Topic aims to reveal the role of the Tol/Pal system in bacterial physiology and pathogenicity, such as the enhancement of outer membrane stability, the coordination of cell division and the regulation of phospholipid transport. Meanwhile, it focuses on the role of Tol/Pal system in immune response and Tol/Pal-based vaccine production. Accordingly, we hope these studies provide new targets and candidate drugs for the effective prevention and treatment of Gram-negative-resistant bacterial infection.
We welcome reviews and original research articles that can address issues on the following themes:
1. Role of the Tol/Pal system in the stability of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.
2. How does the Tol/Pal system coordinate the synchronous contraction of three layers of the Gram-negative bacterial envelope during bacterial division？
3. How does the Tol/Pal system regulate phospholipid transport to maintain lipid homeostasis in the bacterial outer membrane？
4. The role of Tol/Pal system in the immune response to Gram-negative bacteria.
5. Therapeutic vaccine and antibacterial drugs based on the Tol/Pal system.
This Research Topic aims to reveal the role of the Tol/Pal system in bacterial physiology and pathogenicity, such as the enhancement of outer membrane stability, the coordination of cell division and the regulation of phospholipid transport. Meanwhile, it focuses on the role of Tol/Pal system in immune response and Tol/Pal-based vaccine production. Accordingly, we hope these studies provide new targets and candidate drugs for the effective prevention and treatment of Gram-negative-resistant bacterial infection.
We welcome reviews and original research articles that can address issues on the following themes:
1. Role of the Tol/Pal system in the stability of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.
2. How does the Tol/Pal system coordinate the synchronous contraction of three layers of the Gram-negative bacterial envelope during bacterial division？
3. How does the Tol/Pal system regulate phospholipid transport to maintain lipid homeostasis in the bacterial outer membrane？
4. The role of Tol/Pal system in the immune response to Gram-negative bacteria.
5. Therapeutic vaccine and antibacterial drugs based on the Tol/Pal system.
Keywords: Tol-Pal system, outer membrane, bacterial division, phospholipid transport, immune response, vaccine
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
