Amino Acid-Derived Defense Metabolites from Plants: A Potential Source to Facilitate Novel Antimicrobial Development

The document discussed the potential of plant-derived amino acid-based defense metabolites as sources for developing new antimicrobial drugs, particularly in response to antibiotic resistance and infectious diseases. It highlighted the importance of phytoalexins and phytoanticipins, which possess potent antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antiviral properties. The review emphasized advancements in "omics," chemistry, and expression systems that have improved the purification and characterization of these plant metabolites. It also explored various classes of these compounds, such as antimicrobial peptides, alkaloids, nonproteogenic amino acids, and phenylpropanoids, focusing on their mechanisms of action and potential as drug leads.