Antimicrobial Peptide Research and Development: Shifting Challenges from Isolated Pathogens to Biofilms

Biofilm-resident bacteria and fungi are significantly more tolerant to conventional antibiotics. The extracellular polymeric substance matrix acts as a physical and chemical barrier, sequestering drugs and protecting bacteria and fungi. Moreover, heterogeneities in the distribution of oxygen and nutrients in the matrix cause high diversity in the metabolic states of pathogens, some of which may persist in a dormant metabolic state. This dormancy also contributes to the tolerance of pathogens. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a unique solution because their primary mechanism—membrane disruption—functions independently of metabolic activity. However, the transition to biofilm-focused development introduces new challenges, such as restricted peptide diffusion and a lack of tailored animal models of biofilm-associated infections.

Modern research addresses these hurdles through structural engineering of AMPs or modulation of biofilm matrix permeability, but progress is hindered by limitations in the fundamental knowledge of biofilm structure and dynamics. Lack of animal models tailored to biofilm-associated infection is another stringent limitation. Innovative, reliable, cost effective and ethical models are needed.

The goal of the present Research Topic is to gather timely contributions that advance the state of the art in AMP development, address biofilm matrix modulation, or propose new approaches to in vivo experimentation in biofilm research. Authoritative reviews or discussion papers contributing new perspectives and new angles are also welcome.

In this Research Topic we welcome contributions focused on the fundamentals of the biophysics, biochemistry or microbiology of bacterial and fungal biofilms, or focused on peptide-related antimicrobial strategies that take into consideration the presence of the biofilm extracellular matrix. Animal models, procedures and protocols to make antibiofilm research more reproducible, comparable, cost effective and ethical are also welcome.

This Research Topic welcomes contributions focused on, but not limited to:

• fundamentals of the biophysics, biochemistry or microbiology of bacterial and fungal biofilms
• peptide-related antimicrobial strategies that take into consideration the presence of the biofilm extracellular matrix
• use of matrix modulators as adjuvants to the diffusion of antibiotics in the biofilm matrix
• innovative experimental techniques or methodologies designed to study biofilms and antibiofilm drugs
• animal models tailored to study biofilm-associated infections and/or antibiofilm drugs
• SOPs (standard operation procedures) dedicated to biofilm research and antibiofilm drug development
• strategies to tackle research and drug development on multispecies bacterial, fungal, and bacterial-fungal biofilms

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Animal model, antibiofilm, antibiotic, antibiotic tolerance, antimicrobial peptide, antimicrobial resistance, biofilm, biofilm permeability, biofilm structure, diffusion, extracellular matrix, lysis, metabolic dormancy, recalcitrance

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.