Breaking the outer membrane barrier: structure, targets, and antimicrobial strategies for Gram-negative bacteria - PubMed
7 hours ago
- #Drug development
- #Gram-negative bacteria
- #Antimicrobial resistance
- Multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is a significant global public health challenge.
- The outer membrane structure of Gram-negative bacteria limits antibiotic penetration, contributing to resistance.
- Antimicrobial strategies include disrupting the outer membrane, inhibiting biosynthesis of key components, and using natural pathways for drug entry.
- Recent developments include BAM complex inhibitors like darobactin and xenorceptides, which block outer membrane protein assembly.
- Iron carrier-conjugated drugs, such as cefiderocol, have shown clinical success against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
- Challenges in drug development include poor selectivity, potential toxicity, and evolving resistance mechanisms.
- Future research should focus on understanding outer membrane biosynthesis to develop safer and more effective antimicrobials.