Authors
MA Riley, SM Robinson, CM Roy, M Dennis, V Liu and RL Dorit
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria resistant to many or all antibiotics already exist. With the decline in microbiological
research at pharmaceutical companies, the high rate at which resistance has evolved and spread has
demanded a novel approach to addressing this critical human health issue. In the present paper, we propose
a new paradigm in antibiotic discovery and development, one that applies ecological and evolutionary theory
to design antimicrobial drugs that are more difficult and/or more costly to resist. In essence, we propose to
simply adopt the strategies invented and applied by bacteria for hundreds of millions of years. Our research
focuses on bacteriocins, powerful biological weapons, and their use as alternative therapeutics in human
health.
