Marine Antimicrobial Peptides: A Promising Source of New Generation Antibiotics and Other Bio-active Molecules

Multidrug resistant pathogenic microorganisms have created a global health crisis. This resistance emerged due to the improper use of conventional antibiotics. As a result, the scientific community has been forced to search for new antimicrobial drugs. Marine ecosystems have an immense diversity of organisms and microorganisms that interact with each other, and thus, have to defend themselves against pathogens. Therefore, they present a wide repertoire of different mechanisms and biomolecules, which enables them to survive in their natural environment. Among these molecules are the antimicrobial peptides. Research on these natural antibiotics has gained a lot of attention due to their potential in the treatment of several infectious diseases. The search for these molecules over the years has focused on terrestrial environments, however, the current trend is moving toward marine ecosystems, due to their vast unexplored diversity, along with the potential discovery of new molecules and novel activities.