Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major health concern worldwide. A better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is needed. Advances in whole genome sequencing and other high-throughput unbiased instrumental technologies to study the molecular pathogenicity of infectious diseases enable the accumulation of large amounts of data that are amenable to bioinformatic analysis and the discovery of new signatures of AMR. In this work, we review representative methods published in the past five years to define major approaches developed to-date in the understanding of AMR mechanisms. Advantages and limitations for applications of these methods in clinical laboratory testing and basic research are discussed.
Keywords: antibiotic resistance genes; antimicrobial resistance; bioinformatic analysis; molecular mechanisms; prediction of antibiotic resistance.