Antimicrobial Bioactives from Invertebrates

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Novel Antimicrobial Agents".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 1307

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain
Interests: microbiota; antimicrobials; nutrition and health; food safety; hygiene
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Invertebrate-derived compounds with antimicrobial activity could be an emerging and promising field of study in the fight against bacterial infections. Increasing resistance to conventional antibiotics has generated an urgent need to discover new sources of antimicrobial agents. Invertebrates, which constitute up to 80% of all known species, have remained largely unexplored despite their abundance and heterogeneity. These organisms, whose diversity ranges from marine crustaceans to terrestrial worms, in all stages from larvae to adults, appear to have the ability to synthesize compounds with unique bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic properties. The ability of these invertebrates to thrive in unfavorable contaminated environments suggests that they have evolved these natural defense mechanisms against pathogens. The identification and characterization of these bioactive compounds may not only provide new tools in modern medicine but also offer sustainable and natural alternatives to widely used antibiotics.

The aim of this Special Issue is to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the identification of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties derived from invertebrates. A special call is made for the submission of studies examining the efficacy of these compounds against food contaminants or clinically relevant bacterial pathogens.

Prof. Dr. Beatriz Vázquez Belda
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • invertebrates
  • bioactive compounds
  • antimicrobials
  • antibacterial activity
  • marine invertebrates
  • insects
  • worms
  • crustaceans
  • mollusks

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

39 pages, 6201 KB  
Review
Unlocking Antimicrobial Peptides from Marine Invertebrates: A Comprehensive Review of Antimicrobial Discovery
by Md. Abu Kawsar, Chengqing Zhao, Fan Mao, Ziniu Yu and Yang Zhang
Antibiotics 2025, 14(9), 924; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14090924 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 796
Abstract
Unlike other animals, marine invertebrates lack an adaptive immune system and instead rely on innate immunity as their first line of defense. A key component of this innate response is the production of biologically active molecules, particularly antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which offer promising [...] Read more.
Unlike other animals, marine invertebrates lack an adaptive immune system and instead rely on innate immunity as their first line of defense. A key component of this innate response is the production of biologically active molecules, particularly antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which offer promising solutions to the escalating global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This review comprehensively examines the sources, structural diversity, mechanisms of action, biological functions, and therapeutic potential of AMPs derived from a wide range of marine invertebrate phyla. These evolutionarily conserved peptides exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic, and even anticancer activities. The review also summarizes strategies for AMP isolation and production, ranging from natural extraction to recombinant expression and chemical synthesis, and outlines their potential biotechnological applications. Furthermore, we highlight the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in accelerating AMP discovery, design, and production, including predictive modeling, de novo peptide generation, and optimization workflows. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in large-scale production, pharmacokinetic characterization, and functional validation. Addressing these gaps through integrative omics, structural biology, and AI-driven innovation will be crucial for unlocking the full therapeutic potential of marine invertebrate AMPs in combating infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Bioactives from Invertebrates)
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