Strong Membrane Permeabilization Activity Can Reduce Selectivity of Cyclic Antimicrobial Peptides.

ABSTRACT: Selectivity is a key requirement for membrane-active antimicrobials to be viable in therapeutic contexts. Therefore, the rational design or suitable selection of new compounds requires adequate mechanistic understanding of peptide selectivity. In this study, we compare two similar cyclic peptides that differ only in the arrangement of their three hydrophobic tryptophan (W) and three positively charged arginine (R) residues, yet exhibit different selectivities. This family of peptides has previously been shown to target the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria, but not to act directly by membrane permeabilization. We have systematically studied and compared the interactions of the two peptides with zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) and negatively charged phosphatidylglycerol/phosphatidyleth

SUBMITTER: Beck K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11891913 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature