ABSTRACT
Escalating incidences of antibiotic-resistant and multidrug-resistant microorganisms poses a significant threat in this era. Microorganisms form biofilms by colonizing different surfaces and they communicate with one another using quorum sensing. Biofilms are difficult to treat as they are microbial communities living inside matrices such as exopolysaccharides. Novel strategies to suppress biofilm formation should be explored for managing resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) – short peptides with antimicrobial and anti-biofilm potency – are promising, innovative compounds against drug-resistant organisms. A few of the mechanisms of AMPs that are involved in eradicating biofilms include quorum sensing down-regulation, biofilm inhibition, and polysaccharide matrix disintegration. This chapter discusses the structural classification and types of peptides. The mode of action against biofilms is presented with emphasis on the quorum-quenching ability. Advancements in bioengineered peptides that can be exploited for clinical applications are also discussed. Finally, we highlight the challenges in manipulating quorum sensing that need to be overcome before these peptides can be employed as alternative or combination therapies.
