Research on Marine Antimicrobial Peptides

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Chemoecology for Drug Discovery".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 43

Special Issue Editors

Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
Interests: design and modification of marine antimicrobial peptide; mechanism of action; antibiofilm
Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Interests: antimicrobial peptides; antibacterial compounds; bacteria; biofilms; intracellular bacteria

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The marine ecosystem, harboring Earth’s richest biodiversity, has evolved unique bioactive molecules—marine antimicrobial peptides (AMPs)—under extreme environmental pressures. Compared to terrestrial counterparts, marine AMPs exhibit distinct advantages: their structural diversity, derived from the evolutionary adaptations of marine organisms (e.g., sponges, mollusks, and deep-sea microbes), enables broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, low host toxicity, and reduced propensity to induce drug resistance, offering novel solutions to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing, metagenomic mining, and AI-based prediction technologies have significantly accelerated the discovery and functional characterization of novel marine AMPs. Innovations in synthetic biology and nanoparticle-based delivery systems further enhance their potential in anti-infective therapies, biocontrol, and tissue engineering applications. This Special Issue highlights cutting-edge research on marine AMP resource exploration, mechanistic studies, and translational developments, aiming to foster interdisciplinary collaborations for next-generation antimicrobial strategies.

We cordially invite researchers worldwide to contribute original research and reviews to advance the sustainable exploitation of marine-derived therapeutics and build innovative frameworks for drug discovery.

Dr. Na Yang
Dr. Xiao Wang
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Marine Drugs 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

  • marine antimicrobial peptides
  • structural diversity
  • host defense mechanisms
  • multidrug-resistant pathogens
  • mining and exploration
  • biosynthesis
  • anti-infective mechanism
  • immunoregulation
  • nanoparticle-based delivery systems
  • AI-based prediction technologies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

33 pages, 25820 KiB  
Article
Novel Anti-MRSA Peptide from Mangrove-Derived Virgibacillus chiguensis FN33 Supported by Genomics and Molecular Dynamics
by Namfa Sermkaew, Apichart Atipairin, Phetcharat Boonruamkaew, Sucheewin Krobthong, Chanat Aonbangkhen, Jumpei Uchiyama, Yodying Yingchutrakul and Nuttapon Songnaka
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(5), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23050209 - 14 May 2025
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) being one of the major resistant pathogens. This study reports the isolation of a novel mangrove-derived bacterium, Virgibacillus chiguensis FN33, as identified through genome analysis and the discovery of a [...] Read more.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat, with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) being one of the major resistant pathogens. This study reports the isolation of a novel mangrove-derived bacterium, Virgibacillus chiguensis FN33, as identified through genome analysis and the discovery of a new anionic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) exhibiting anti-MRSA activity. The AMP was composed of 23 amino acids, which were elucidated as NH3-Glu-Gly-Gly-Cys-Gly-Val-Asp-Thr-Trp-Gly-Cys-Leu-Thr-Pro-Cys-His-Cys-Asp-Leu-Phe-Cys-Thr-Thr-COOH. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for MRSA were 8 µg/mL and 16 µg/mL, respectively. FN33 AMP induced cell membrane permeabilization, suggesting a membrane-disrupting mechanism. The AMP remained stable at 30–40 °C but lost activity at higher temperatures and following exposure to proteases, surfactants, and extreme pH. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations showed that the AMP adopts a β-sheet structure upon membrane interaction. These findings suggest that Virgibacillus chiguensis FN33 is a promising source of novel antibacterial agents against MRSA, supporting alternative strategies for drug-resistant infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Marine Antimicrobial Peptides)
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