Despite highly specialized international interventions and policies in place today, the rapid\nemergence and dissemination of resistant bacterial species continue to occur globally, threatening the\nlongevity of antibiotics in the medical sector. In particular, problematic nosocomial infections caused\nby multidrug resistant Gram-negative pathogens present as a major burden to both patients and\nhealthcare systems, with annual mortality rates incrementally rising. Bacteriocins, peptidic toxins\nproduced by bacteria, offer promising potential as substitutes or conjugates to current therapeutic\ncompounds. These non-toxic peptides exhibit significant potency against certain bacteria (including\nmultidrug-resistant species), while producer strains remain insusceptible to the bactericidal peptides.\nThe selectivity and safety profile of bacteriocins have been highlighted as superior advantages over\ntraditional antibiotics; however, many aspects regarding their efficacy are still unknown. Although\nactive at low concentrations, bacteriocins typically have low in vivo stability, being susceptible to\ndegradation by proteolytic enzymes. Another major drawback lies in the feasibility of large-scale\nproduction, with these key features collectively limiting their current clinical application. Though such\nlimitations require extensive research, the concept of expanding bacteriocins from food preservation\nto human health opens many fascinating doors, including novel drug delivery systems and anticancer\ntreatment applications.
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