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Antimicrobial peptides: linking partition, activity and high membrane-bound concentrations

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 7, pages 245–250 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

An increasing amount of information on the action of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) at the molecular level has not yet been translated into a comprehensive understanding of effects in bacteria. Although some biophysical attributes of AMPs have been correlated with macroscopic features, the physiological relevance of other properties has not yet been addressed. Pertinent and surprising conclusions have therefore been left unstated. Strong membrane-binding and micromolar therapeutic concentrations of AMPs indicate that membrane-bound concentrations may be reached that are higher than intuitively expected, triggering disruptive effects on bacteria.

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Figure 1: Proposed mechanisms of antimicrobial peptide-mediated membrane disruption.

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Acknowledgements

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal) is acknowledged for a grant to M.N. Melo (SFRH/BD/24,778/2005). M.M. Melo is thanked for critical revision of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Manuel N. Melo and Miguel A. R. B. Castanho are at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, Av. Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal.,

    Manuel N. Melo & Miguel A. R. B. Castanho

  2. Rafael Ferre is at the Laboratori d'Innovacióen Processos i Productes de Síntesi Orgànica (LIPPSO), Departament de Química, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain.,

    Rafael Ferre

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Melo, M., Ferre, R. & Castanho, M. Antimicrobial peptides: linking partition, activity and high membrane-bound concentrations. Nat Rev Microbiol 7, 245–250 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2095

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