Emergence of Drug Resistance in Mycobacterium and Other Bacterial Pathogens: The Posttranslational Modification Perspective

Abstract

Microbes portray an immense capacity to colonize their niche by sequestering all resources for themselves and producing antibiotics to thwart the growth of other microbes. Antibiotic resistance by microbes evolved to overcome this challenge. Humans have long exploited the antibiotics to control infectious diseases. This development greatly improved the global health and decreased the mortality rate, thereby increasing average life expectancy. Drug resistance also arose like natural antibiotic resistance and is accelerating at an alarming rate which poses a foreboding challenge for global health. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) have been recognized for their role in regulating cellular dynamics. Their role in development of drug resistance seems to be hidden but fundamental. For effective drugs against infectious pathogens, it is imperative to understand the basis of drug resistance and persistence. Here, we initially discuss the mechanisms of drug resis tance in Mycobacterium and other bacterial species and eventually consider how PTMs are involved in emergence of intrinsic or adaptive drug resistance. This chapter aims to motivate the researchers in the field to dig deeper into the proteomes of pathogens to map the role of PTMs in drug resistance. A deep under standing of the roles might be the boost required for designing better antibiotics for tackling disease burden in the future.