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10.2
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Antibiotics
Special Issues
Feature Reviews in "Antimicrobial Peptides" 2026
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Feature Reviews in "Antimicrobial Peptides" 2026

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 1211

Editors

Dr. Jean-Marc Sabatier

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of NeuroPhysiopathology, UMR 7051, Faculté de Médecine Secteur Nord, 51, Boulevard Pierre Dramard—CS80011, 13344 Marseille, CEDEX 15, France
Interests: antimicrobial peptides; antibacterial; antibiotics; structure-activity relationships; bacteriocins; drug design; peptide engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gianfranco Bocchinfuso

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, Tor Vergata University of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
Interests: membrane permeabilization; antimicrobial peptides; peptide mimickings; molecular dynamics simulation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a rapidly expanding field at the interface of innate immunity, molecular biology, and therapeutic innovation. This Special Issue of Antibiotics provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in AMP research, encompassing their structural diversity, mechanisms of action, and emerging roles beyond direct antimicrobial activity. Contributions explore the involvement of AMPs in immune modulation, control of inflammation, and host–pathogen interactions, as well as their relevance in viral infections and microbiota regulation. Particular attention will be given to novel synthetic and engineered peptides designed to overcome antimicrobial resistance, improve stability, and enhance specificity. The Special Issue also addresses the translational challenges, including toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and large-scale production. By integrating fundamental insights with clinical perspectives, this collection of articles aims to highlight the therapeutic potential of AMPs and stimulate innovative strategies to combat infectious diseases amid rising global resistance.

Dr. Jean-Marc Sabatier
Dr. Gianfranco Bocchinfuso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antimicrobial peptides
  • innate immunity
  • host–pathogen interactions
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • peptide engineering
  • immunomodulation
  • microbial infections
  • microbiota
  • therapeutic development
  • drug design

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

19 pages, 2993 KB  
Review
Cyclotides from Plants Driving the Next Generation of Antibacterial Agents
by Elizabete de Souza Cândido, Liryel Silva Gasparetto, Mariana Rocha Maximiano, Thuanny Borba Rios and Octávio Luiz Franco
Antibiotics 2026, 15(6), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15060604 - 13 Jun 2026
Viewed by 474
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Cyclotides are plant-derived macrocyclic peptides distinguished by their head-to-tail cyclized backbone and cystine knot motif, which confer remarkable stability against thermal, enzymatic, and chemical degradation. These features, combined with a compact and rigid structure, position cyclotides as promising scaffolds for future [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Cyclotides are plant-derived macrocyclic peptides distinguished by their head-to-tail cyclized backbone and cystine knot motif, which confer remarkable stability against thermal, enzymatic, and chemical degradation. These features, combined with a compact and rigid structure, position cyclotides as promising scaffolds for future antibacterial agents in response to the escalating threat of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens and the stagnation of conventional antibiotic discovery pipelines. This review summarizes the structural features, antibacterial mechanisms, bioengineering strategies, and translational potential of cyclotides against MDR infections. Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted using recent original research articles and reviews on cyclotide structure, antibacterial activity, bioengineering, computational modeling, and pharmaceutical applications. Results: Cyclotides exhibit potent antimicrobial activity, primarily through membrane disruption mediated by amphipathic surfaces and affinity for anionic bacterial membranes. Some variants also demonstrate anti-virulence and antibiofilm properties, broadening their therapeutic relevance for difficult-to-treat infections. Bioengineering approaches, including epitope grafting and rational design, have improved selectivity and potency while reducing cytotoxicity. Advances in computational modeling, molecular dynamics, and artificial intelligence have accelerated the prediction and optimization of antimicrobial activity, toxicity, and pharmacokinetic properties. Conclusions: Innovations in synthesis, including recombinant expression and enzymatic ligation, are helping overcome translational barriers related to cost and scalability. Although challenges remain in oral bioavailability and systemic delivery, strategies such as lipidation and scaffold modification support the development of cyclotide-based therapeutics as adaptable platforms for peptide drug discovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Reviews in "Antimicrobial Peptides" 2026)
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