Antimicrobial peptides produced by probiotic and biotechnologically significant bacillus species

Background: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of bacterial origin are considered as a promising alternative to traditional antibiotics and a good solution to the problem of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, many of them exhibit other types of biological activity. Therefore, in recent years, the interest of researchers in AMPs has increased significantly. We conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) produced by probiotic and biotechnologically significant bacteria. Scope of review: The analysis encompassed more than 160 studies, primarily from the past decade. The investigation aimed to assess current knowledge about the structure, mechanism of action, antimicrobial spectrum, and prospects for using AMPs from bacilli to benefit human health. Major conclusions: Bacilli are a rich source of AMPs. Most probiotic and biotechnologically significant bacilli species produce several types of AMPs that differ in structure and mechanism of action. Numerous studies indicate the promising use of AMPs from bacilli in medicine for treating bacterial infections caused by clinically significant and resistant pathogens. The pronounced antifungal activity of AMPs, produced by bacilli, opens up prospects for the development of more effective and safe antifungal therapy. Unfortunately, to date, only a few of the AMPs have found application in clinical practice; several bacteriocins have demonstrated efficacy in vivo and advanced to clinical evaluation. Also, bacillus AMPs have not found proper use as food preservatives. This is partly due to the lack of detailed scientific information on the safety and toxicity of isolated AMPs in animals and humans. In addition, poor bioavailability, instability, and low solubility under physiological conditions, as well as sensitivity to proteolytic enzymes and high production costs, hinder the commercialization of bacteriocins for future therapeutic use. This highlights the need for further application of bioengineering approaches to enhance the physicochemical and biological properties of AMPs, as well as conducting additional comprehensive studies to assess their safety for humans, thereby accelerating the use of AMPs in both medical and food applications.