Resistance to peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes

The spread of bacterial strains resistant to commonly used antibiotics urges the development of novel antibacterial compounds. Ideally, these novel antimicrobials should be less prone to the development of resistance. Peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes are a promising class of compounds with a fundamen...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Critical reviews in microbiology 2020-11, Vol.46 (6), p.703-726
Main Authors: Grishin, Alexander V., Karyagina, Anna S., Vasina, Daria V., Vasina, Irina V., Gushchin, Vladimir A., Lunin, Vladimir G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology
Antimicrobial enzyme
Bacteria - drug effects
Bacteria - metabolism
Bacteria - virology
Bacterial Infections - drug therapy
Bacterial Infections - microbiology
Bacteriophages - enzymology
Bacteriophages - physiology
Drug Resistance, Bacterial
endolysin
enzybiotic
Enzymes - pharmacology
Humans
peptidoglycan
Peptidoglycan - chemistry
Peptidoglycan - metabolism
resistance
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The spread of bacterial strains resistant to commonly used antibiotics urges the development of novel antibacterial compounds. Ideally, these novel antimicrobials should be less prone to the development of resistance. Peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes are a promising class of compounds with a fundamentally different mode of action compared to traditionally used antibiotics. The difference in the mechanism of action implies differences both in the mechanisms of resistance and the chances of its emergence. To critically assess the potential of resistance development to peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes, we review the available evidence for the development of resistance to these enzymes in vitro, along with the known mechanisms of resistance to lysozyme, bacteriocins, autolysins, and phage endolysins. We conclude that genetic determinants of resistance to peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes are unlikely to readily emerge de novo. However, resistance to these enzymes would probably spread by the horizontal transfer between intrinsically resistant and susceptible species. Finally, we speculate that the higher cost of the therapeutics based on peptidoglycan degrading enzymes compared to classical antibiotics might result in less misuse, which in turn would lead to lower selective pressure, making these antibacterials less prone to resistance development.
ISSN:1040-841X
1549-7828
DOI:10.1080/1040841X.2020.1825333