Beneficial Microorganisms and Antimicrobials

Dear Colleagues,

Microorganisms and their role in life on the planet have always been the focus of scientists. The COVID-19 pandemic and the growing antibiotic resistance among us have put the search for new approaches in the fight against pathogens back on the agenda. Scientists are paying more and more attention to alternative antimicrobial substances and approaches for health prevention and prophylaxis. Various groups of antimicrobials, from new antibiotics, bacteriocin-like substances to recently discussed parabiotics are being evaluated as an alternative or new class of biotherapeutics. They are produced by different groups of microorganisms—probiotics (pro-for and bio-life), such as lactic acid, bifidobacteria, actinomycetes, cyanobacteria and yeast.

New understanding of the beneficial contributions microbes and microbial communities provide in reducing disease transmission is also needed. In this regard, various mode of action of beneficial microorganisms and their role for the healthy homeostasis of humans and animals have been discovered. They are a part of understanding the role of the microbiome in health and disease prevention. The key is the knowledge of the complex metabolic processes and their regulation, the synthesis of active metabolites in situ and in vivo.

In parallel, the biotechnologies for obtaining antimicrobials or other biologically active substances are also part of the One Health strategy.

With this concept, MDPI has created a Special Issue of the journal Microorganisms, titled: BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS AND ANTIMICROBIALS

Potential topics in this issue include but are not limited to the following:

• Antimicrobials and its producers: Useful and original approaches for characterization of antimicrobials;
• Exploration of the putative activity in the cascade of events controlling virulence factors of pathogens development of disease;
• New natural formulations, production study and delivery of microbial compounds with high stability and potential to support effective barrier mechanisms against pathogens;
• Probiotic—mode of action and benefits for human and animal health;
• New candidate for probiotics—selection and improvement;
• Postbiotics/parabiotics, other natural compounds—new horizon and promising bridge between pharmabiotics and bioterapeutics.

We kindly invite you to send your latest research results or review articles to this Special Issue, which will clarify the highly discussed beneficial bacteria and their antimicrobials; in vitro characterization the mechanisms using various experimental model system to simulate in vivo their biological activity, with parallel with not well recognized probiotic phenomena. Underlying their safety and efficacy, high productivity based on innovative and reliable technologies allow advance of new therapeutics limits the invasion of pathogens and paves the way for new approaches in limiting the expansion of antibiotic resistance.

Prof. Dr. Svetla Trifonova Danova
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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