The microbiomes on human body surfaces affect health in multiple ways. They include not only commensal or mutualistic bacteria but also potentially pathogenic bacteria, which can enter sterile tissues to cause invasive infection. Many commensal bacteria produce small antibacterial molecules termed bacteriocins that have the capacity to eliminate specific colonizing pathogens; as such, bacteriocins have attracted increased attention as potential microbiome-editing tools. Metagenome-based and activity-based screening approaches have strongly expanded our knowledge of the abundance and diversity of bacteriocin biosynthetic gene clusters and the properties of a continuously growing list of bacteriocin classes. The dynamic acquisition, diversification or loss of bacteriocin genes can shape the fitness of a bacterial strain that is in competition with bacteriocin-susceptible bacteria. However, a bacteriocin can only provide a competitive advantage if its fitness benefit exceeds the metabolic cost of production, if it spares crucial mutualistic partner strains and if major competitors cannot develop resistance. In contrast to most currently available antibiotics, many bacteriocins have only narrow activity ranges and could be attractive agents for precision therapy and prevention of infections. A common scientific strategy involving multiple disciplines is needed to uncover the immense potential of microbiome-shaping bacteriocins.

人体表面的微生物组以多种方式影响健康。它们不仅包括共生或共生细菌，还包括潜在致病菌，它们可以进入无菌组织引起侵袭性感染。许多共生细菌产生称为细菌素的小抗菌分子，具有消除特定定殖病原体的能力；因此，细菌素作为潜在的微生物组编辑工具引起了越来越多的关注。基于宏基因组和基于活性的筛选方法极大地扩展了我们对细菌素生物合成基因簇的丰度和多样性以及不断增长的细菌素类别列表的特性的认识。动态采集，细菌素基因的多样化或缺失可以塑造与细菌素敏感细菌竞争的细菌菌株的适应性。然而，只有当细菌素的健康益处超过生产的代谢成本，如果它能避免关键的共生伙伴菌株，并且如果主要竞争对手不能产生耐药性，细菌素才能提供竞争优势。与大多数目前可用的抗生素相比，许多细菌素的活性范围很窄，可能成为精准治疗和预防感染的有吸引力的药物。需要一种涉及多个学科的共同科学策略来揭示微生物组塑造细菌素的巨大潜力。只有当细菌素的健康益处超过生产的代谢成本，如果它能避免关键的共生伙伴菌株，并且如果主要竞争对手不能产生耐药性，细菌素才能提供竞争优势。与大多数目前可用的抗生素相比，许多细菌素的活性范围很窄，可能成为精准治疗和预防感染的有吸引力的药物。需要一种涉及多个学科的共同科学策略来揭示微生物组塑造细菌素的巨大潜力。只有当细菌素的健康益处超过生产的代谢成本，如果它能避免关键的共生伙伴菌株，并且如果主要竞争对手不能产生耐药性，细菌素才能提供竞争优势。与大多数目前可用的抗生素相比，许多细菌素的活性范围很窄，可能成为精准治疗和预防感染的有吸引力的药物。需要一种涉及多个学科的共同科学策略来揭示微生物组塑造细菌素的巨大潜力。