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1- Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo
2- Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo ,meran@bmb.cmb.ac.lk
2- Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo ,
Abstract: (3 Views)
The spread of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria has reached a critical point, with the emergence of resistant strains for last line antibiotics, alongside a dwindling discovery pipeline for novel antimicrobials. This review aims to highlight the dual role of the environment in the development of antimicrobial resistance as well as the source for the discovery of novel antimicrobials.
Microorganisms live in heterogeneous communities and competition for survival exerts evolutionary pressure to both produce antimicrobial metabolites and to develop tolerance. Exposure to environmental chemicals, be they naturally occurring or a result of anthropogenic activities, also lead to development of tolerance mechanisms. Further, antimicrobial resistance genes which attain mobility during evolution may be transferred to other species through horizontal gene transfer.
While overuse and misuse of antibiotics is identified as a key agent for antimicrobial resistance, it needs to be borne in mind that resistance mechanisms were present in the environment long before their discovery by man. The biosynthetic capacity of microorganisms for secondary metabolites far exceeds what has been characterized so far. Similarly, mechanisms for tolerance and resistance for these natural antibiotics may be still awaiting discovery. Challenges for the future lie in the discovery of novel antibiotic classes for which tolerance mechanisms have not yet been transferred to clinical strains. Novel strategies, guided by genomics and computational methods will accelerate antibiotic discovery.
Microorganisms live in heterogeneous communities and competition for survival exerts evolutionary pressure to both produce antimicrobial metabolites and to develop tolerance. Exposure to environmental chemicals, be they naturally occurring or a result of anthropogenic activities, also lead to development of tolerance mechanisms. Further, antimicrobial resistance genes which attain mobility during evolution may be transferred to other species through horizontal gene transfer.
While overuse and misuse of antibiotics is identified as a key agent for antimicrobial resistance, it needs to be borne in mind that resistance mechanisms were present in the environment long before their discovery by man. The biosynthetic capacity of microorganisms for secondary metabolites far exceeds what has been characterized so far. Similarly, mechanisms for tolerance and resistance for these natural antibiotics may be still awaiting discovery. Challenges for the future lie in the discovery of novel antibiotic classes for which tolerance mechanisms have not yet been transferred to clinical strains. Novel strategies, guided by genomics and computational methods will accelerate antibiotic discovery.
Keywords: Gene transfer horizontal, Environmental microbiology, secondary metabolism genetics, antibacterial agents isolation &, purification
Type of Study: Systematic Review |
Subject:
Antibiotic Resistance
Received: 2025/05/12 | Accepted: 2025/10/4
Received: 2025/05/12 | Accepted: 2025/10/4
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