Antimicrobial Peptides

Abstract

The rapid increase in drug-resistant infections has presented a serious challenge to antimicrobial therapies. The failure of the most potent antibiotics to kill “superbugs” emphasizes the urgent need to develop other control agents. Here we review the history and new development of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a growing class of natural and synthetic peptides with a wide spectrum of targets including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. We summarize the major types of AMPs, their modes of action, and the common mechanisms of AMP resistance. In addition, we discuss the principles for designing effective AMPs and the potential of using AMPs to control biofilms (multicellular structures of bacteria embedded in extracellular matrixes) and persister cells (dormant phenotypic variants of bacterial cells that are highly tolerant to antibiotics).

Helical antimicrobial polypeptides with radial amphiphilicity

“…1A), which leads to undesired polypeptide interactions with blood proteins and self-aggregation. AMP helix bundles have been reported to cause substantially reduced antimicrobial activity (18,19).…”

Peptidomic approach identifies cruzioseptins, a new family of potent antimicrobial peptides in the splendid leaf frog, Cruziohyla calcarifer

“…They occur in all domains in nature, 5 including bacteria, protozoa, fungi, molluscs, arthropods, vertebrates, and plants. AMPs have 6 a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and provide protection against bacteria, fungi, 7 parasites and viruses; however, recent research has provided evidence of additional roles in 8 inflammation, immunity and wound healing [1].…”

“…There is no clear correlation between 10 structure, potency and selectivity. However, size, charge, hydrophobicity, and amphipathicity 11 are crucial physicochemical properties for their biological activity [1,2]. Most antimicrobial 12 peptides contain between 8-45 amino acids and a positive net charge of +2-+6 at pH7 [3].…”

Elevated Activity Levels of Serum Antimicrobial Peptides in Mice as Response to Immunization with Yeast Antigens

“…Increase of immunoglobulins as response to immunization is well known fact-the estimation of specificity of antigens based on this phenomenon. However, the important factors of antimicrobial humoral immunity in addition to immunoglobulins and complement system are AMP [3,4]. Recently total activity of AMP was studied in different human loci (secrets)-vaginal secret [10,11], hair [11], serum [13] and water solved fraction of skin secret [18].…”

“…In addition to immunoglobulins and complement system, the important part of congenital humoral immunity are antimicrobial peptides (AMP) [3]. The AMP produced by neutrophils, macrophages, monocytes and epithelial cells [4]. In human blood different classes of AMP-lactoferrin, calprotectin, lysozyme, secretory leucoprotease inhibitor, cathelicidins, defensins and lipocalin-are circulated, however the number of AMP act in other loci is more miscellaneous.…”