Genetically Engineered Bacteria and Bacteriophages as Next-Generation Antimicrobial Therapeutics: Integrating Synthetic Biology and AI-Enabled Design

Genetic engineering has transformed bacteria and bacteriophages from subjects of basic microbiological study into programmable therapeutic platforms. Engineered probiotics, gut microbes, bacterial ghost cells, outer membrane vesicles, and modified bacteriophages are increasingly explored as living or bio-derived therapeutics capable of delivering antigens, neutralizing pathogens, or restoring microbial balance disrupted by antibiotic use. These approaches offer alternatives to conventional antibiotics at a time when treatment options for resistant infections are narrowing, drawing on advances in synthetic biology, functional genomics, precision genome editing, and increasingly, artificial intelligence and machine learning to reprogram bacterial systems for defined therapeutic purposes.This Research Topic aims to highlight the design, construction, and functional validation of genetically engineered bacterial and phage-based systems as antimicrobial and therapeutic agents. Rather than focusing on the detection or epidemiological spread of resistant pathogens, this collection centers on the engineering process itself: how genome editing tools, synthetic biology approaches, AI/ML-guided design, and functional characterization of bacterial genes are applied to build organisms or bio-derived constructs (e.g., engineered probiotics, gut microbes, bacterial ghost cells, phage therapeutics, membrane vesicle platforms) with defined antimicrobial or immunomodulatory functions. AI and machine learning are increasingly used to predict phage–host interactions and host range, identify therapeutic targets, and optimize phage proteins and bacterial regulatory elements — supporting the rational design of engineered microbial therapeutics. We welcome studies demonstrating proof-of-concept efficacy in relevant models as well as mechanistic insights that inform future engineering efforts.We welcome submissions addressing (but not limited to): - construction and functional testing of engineered probiotics/gut microbes as antimicrobial or therapeutic delivery vehicles;- genome editing and synthetic biology approaches applied to bacterial chassis organisms; - bacterial ghost cell and outer membrane vesicle platforms for antigen or drug delivery; - genetic engineering of bacteriophages for targeted antibacterial therapy; - functional/molecular characterization of engineered bacterial genes underpinning these applications- AI and machine learning-enabled prediction, design, and optimization of engineered bacterial or phage-based therapeutics, particularly when coupled with experimental validation Topic editors: Niketa Bhawsinghka, Dr. Meenakshi Shanmugaraja Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84995/genetically-engineered-bacteria-and-bacteriophages-as-next-generation-antimicrobial-therapeutics-integrating-synthetic-biology-and-ai-enabled-design