Enzybiotics: Antibiotic Enzymes as Drugs and Therapeutics - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0470376554 ISBN 13: 9780470376553

Publisher: Wiley, 2010

Synopsis

Enzybiotics, by using enzymes to fight bacteria, offer a novel and promising new way to combat infectious diseases. This book presents the state-of-the-art and therapeutic potential of enzybiotics, with a stress on therapeutic applications. The coverage offers a unique combination of medicinal chemistry, microbiology, genetics, and biochemistry. It also addresses the timely topic of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, and provides readers with a novel angle to study and combat infectious diseases.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Presents the latest research and applications for a new, promising approach to fighting infectious diseases

Enzybiotics is a promising way of fighting bacterial or fungal infectious diseases by using viruses or viral–derived lysins. Drawing from the fields of medicinal chemistry, microbiology, genetics, and biochemistry, this book presents the state of the science in enzybiotics research, fully exploring its emerging therapeutic applications.

The book begins with four chapters that review the potential applications, possible advantages, and phylogeny of enzybiotics. Next, the book explores:

• A new approach to controlling infections using Gram–negative bacteria

• Bacteriophage holins and their membrane–disrupting activity

• Anti–staphylococcal lytic enzymes

• Membrane–targeted enzybiotics

• Design of phage cocktails for therapy from a host–range point of view

• Novel methods to identify new enzybiotics

• Genetically modified phages that deliver suicidal genes to target bacteria

The authors, all active enzybiotics researchers, offer a variety of perspectives, the benefit of their own hands–on investigations, as well as a thorough review and analysis of the current literature.

As more and more bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, the development of new disease–fighting agents has become essential. This book demonstrates the full potential of the emerging field of enzybiotics to control infectious diseases. Moreover, it will serve as a springboard for new research and the development of new therapeutics.

About the Author:

Tomas G. Villa, PhD, is Full Professor of Microbiology and Chair of the Department of Microbiology at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Faculty of Pharmacy (Spain). Dr. Villa has written twenty book chapters and over 160 papers. In addition, he has translated into Spanish several microbiology text books. Dr. Villa is regularly engaged in the teaching of microbiology and biotechnology. Patricia Veiga-Crespo, PhD, is Lecturer of Microbiology and works in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Santiago de Compostela, where she is involved in the study of multi-resistance phenomena and enzybiotics and the teaching of advanced biotechnology and basic microbiology.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0470376554
• ISBN 13: 9780470376553
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 284
• Editor: Villa Tomas G., Veiga Crespo Patricia