Novel Mechanisms of Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Biological Factors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 1489

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, South College, Knoxville, TN, USA
Interests: microbial functional genomics of global regulators; antibiotic resistance mechanisms in emerging opportunistic bacterial pathogens; beta-lactamases
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bacterial antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to global public health and can render standard therapeutic regimens for infectious diseases ineffective, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. As bacterial pathogens evolve and adapt, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance. Such knowledge informs effective treatment strategies, infection control, and drug development. Known mechanisms of bacterial antibiotic resistance include enzymatic modification or degradation of antibiotics, altered target sites through chromosomal mutations, efflux pumps and decreased drug permeability, and biofilm formation. This Special Issue of Biomolecules will be focused on novel molecular mechanisms that enable bacteria to resist and survive in the presence of antibiotics. Manuscripts elucidating resistome profiles, environmental reservoirs of resistance genes and dissemination to pathogenic bacteria, and the distribution of resistance determinants in clinical isolate populations will also be very welcome. Submissions exploring antibiotic resistance mechanisms by using comparative genomic, bioinformatic, and phylogenetic approaches will also be in line with the topic of this Special Issue. Original research articles, reviews, communications, and editorials will all be considered for publication.

Dr. Dorothea K. Thompson
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance
  • bacterial resistome acquired and intrinsic
  • drug resistance antibiotic modification/degradation
  • antibiotic efflux
  • antibiotic target modification antibiotic permeability
  • antibiotic sequestration proteins
  • beta-lactamases
  • bioinformatic and phylogenetic approaches

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 2170 KiB  
Article
The Difference a Year Can Make: How Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Have Changed in Northwestern Transylvania
by Matei-Ștefan Dobrescu, Dan-Alexandru Țoc, Adrian-Gabriel Pană, Carmen Costache and Anca Butiuc-Keul
Biomolecules 2025, 15(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15010001 - 24 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1047
Abstract
This study examines the prevalence and the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected from healthcare units in Northwestern Transylvania, Romania, between 2022 and 2023. Given the alarming rise in antibiotic resistance, the study screened 34 isolates for resistance to 10 [...] Read more.
This study examines the prevalence and the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected from healthcare units in Northwestern Transylvania, Romania, between 2022 and 2023. Given the alarming rise in antibiotic resistance, the study screened 34 isolates for resistance to 10 antibiotics, 46 ARGs, and integrase genes using PCR analysis. The results reveal a concerning increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) isolates over the two-year period. Notably, the prevalence of ARGs encoding resistance to sulfonamides and beta-lactams, particularly sul1 and blaOXA-50, has shown a significant rise. Furthermore, the study detected the emergence of new resistance mechanisms in the same time interval. These include target protection and even more specific mechanisms, such as metallo-beta-lactamases or enzymes involved in the methylation of 23S rRNA. Statistical analysis further confirmed the correlation between Class I integrons and several ARGs, underscoring the role of horizontal gene transfer in the dissemination of resistance. These findings emphasize the urgent need for updated treatment strategies and monitoring programs to effectively combat the spread of ARGs in clinical settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Mechanisms of Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance)
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