Evolution of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes

The situation with antimicrobials in the antibiotic era can be characterised as is the endless cycle of discovery and invention of new antimicrobials, with an almost guaranteed sequel of eventual emergence and dissemination of resistance to them. We need to realise that antimicrobials (AM) and the associated resistances are the ancient phenomena that existed and evolved for millions and billions of years. We certainly benefited from collecting the products of this evolution in the form of AM, which allowed us to considerably decrease the morbidity and mortality rates associated with infectious diseases.

Our experiences during the last 70 years of the antibiotic era, however, have taught us an important lesson. The metabolic capacities and the ability to exchange genetic information in the microbial world is enormous, and we can certainly predict that there will be no magic bullets to have a final solution for infectious diseases.

Thus, we must try to understand how the mechanisms of antimicrobial biosynthesis and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) have evolved in the pre-antibiotic era, and how human intervention in the past 70 years has affected this landscape.

The evolutionary trajectory of AMR consists of two phases, during the pre-antibiotic and antibiotic era. This research topic invites submissions covering both phases of this evolution.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective articles addressing various aspects of evolution of AM biosynthesis and AMR. Subtopics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Phylogenetic reconstruction of evolutionary history of AM biosynthesis genes.

• Phylogenetic reconstruction of evolutionary history of AMR genes.

• Co-evolutionary trajectories of AM biosynthesis and AMR genes.

• Occurrence and diversity of AM biosynthesis and AMR genes in the ecosystems that are not affected by the activity or presence of humans.

• Elucidation of natural antibiotic concentrations in environments not affected by humans.

• Evolution of AMR due to the selective pressure of the antibiotic era.

• The role of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in evolution and dissemination of AMR in the antibiotic era.

• Co-evolutionary factors contributing to AMR in the modern area.

• Evolution of cross-resistance to AM in response to environmental selective pressures.

Keywords: antimicrobial biosynthesis, antimicrobial resistance, evolution, phylogeny, pre-antibiotic era, antibiotic era, post-antibiotic era, MGEs, environmental resistome, metagenomics, HGT

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.