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Current Protein & Peptide Science

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1389-2037
ISSN (Online): 1875-5550

Combinatorial Synthesis and Directed Evolution Applied to the Production of α-Helix Forming Antimicrobial Peptides Analogues

Author(s): Mariana S. Castro, Eduardo M. Cilli and Wagner Fontes

Volume 7, Issue 6, 2006

Page: [473 - 478] Pages: 6

DOI: 10.2174/138920306779025648

Price: $65

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are effector molecules of innate immune systems found in different groups of organisms, including microorganisms, plants, insects, amphibians and humans. These peptides exhibit several structural motifs but the most abundant AMPs assume an amphipathic α-helical structure. The α-helix forming antimicrobial peptides are excellent candidates for protein engineering leading to an optimization of their biological activity and target specificity. Nowadays several approaches are available and this review deals with the use of combinatorial synthesis and directed evolution in order to provide a high-throughput source of antimicrobial peptides analogues with enhanced lytic activity and specificity.

Keywords: Antimicrobial peptides, amphipathic α-helix, combinatorial synthesis, directed evolution, high-throughput


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