Computational studies of protegrin antimicrobial peptides: a review.

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small, naturally occurring peptides that exhibit strong antibacterial properties generally believed to be a result of selective bacterial membrane disruption. As a result, there has been significant interest in the development of therapeutic antibiotics based on AMPs; however, the poor understanding of the fundamental mechanism of action of these peptides has largely hampered such efforts. We present a summary of computational and theoretical investigations of protegrin, a particularly potent peptide that is both an excellent model for the mechanism of action of AMPs and a promising therapeutic candidate. Experimental investigations have shed light on many of the key steps in the action of protegrin: protegrin monomers are known to dimerize in various lipi

SUBMITTER: Bolintineanu DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3013618 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature