Two interdependent mechanisms of antimicrobial activity allow for efficient killing in nylon-3-based polymeric mimics of innate immunity peptides.

ABSTRACT: Novel synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides have been developed to exhibit structural properties and antimicrobial activity similar to those of natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of the innate immune system. These molecules have a number of potential advantages over conventional antibiotics, including reduced bacterial resistance, cost-effective preparation, and customizable designs. In this study, we investigate a family of nylon-3 polymer-based antimicrobials. By combining vesicle dye leakage, bacterial permeation, and bactericidal assays with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), we find that these polymers are capable of two interdependent mechanisms of action: permeation of bacterial membranes and binding to intracellular targets such as DNA, with the latter necessarily depende

SUBMITTER: Lee MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4405380 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature