Bacterial DNA integrity

Bacterial DNA integrity" is not the canonical name of a single molecular target but refers to a collective property resulting from multiple, evolutionarily conserved DNA repair and maintenance pathways present in bacteria. Key proteins and complexes involved include RecA (homologous recombination), Uvr proteins (nucleotide excision repair), glycosylases (base excision repair), MutS/MutL/MutH (mismatch repair), RNaseHII (ribonucleotide excision repair), and others. These pathways protect bacteria from various forms of endogenous and exogenous DNA damage, enabling survival, adaptation, pathogenesis, and resistance to DNA-damaging antibiotics. The capacity for DNA integrity maintenance is essential for virulence in some pathogens and is an emerging target to sensitize bacteria to antibiotics, though no drug directly targets "bacterial DNA integrity" as a single, defined molecular entity. Targeting DNA repair pathways or regulators (such as RecA, UvrD, ppGpp) is a strategy of interest for overcoming bacterial resistance and as an adjuvant approach, but the umbrella term "bacterial DNA integrity" is not a precise molecular target for drug development, diagnosis, or biomarker assessment.

Inhibition of DNA repair pathways, leading to increased susceptibility to DNA-damaging agents; Induction of DNA damage (by drugs) that bacteria must repair for survival