Publications by authors named "Facundo Torres"
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising tool with which to fight rising antibiotic resistance. However, pathogenic bacteria are equipped with several AMP defense mechanisms, whose contributions to AMP resistance are often poorly defined. Here, we evaluate the genetic determinants of resistance to an insect AMP, cecropin B, in the opportunistic pathogen Enterobacter cloacae.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) like cecropin B show potential against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but these pathogens have developed various defense mechanisms against AMPs.
- Researchers conducted single-cell analyses on bacterial response to cecropin B, observing significant variability in cell survival that suggests a phenomenon known as heteroresistance.
- Three genetic factors were identified as contributors to AMP resistance: the PhoPQ system, OmpT-induced cleavage of cecropin, and Rcs-mediated membrane stress response, indicating that bacteria use diverse strategies to resist antimicrobial peptides.