Antimicrobial Peptides as an Opportunity Against Bacterial Diseases

Title:Antimicrobial Peptides as an Opportunity Against Bacterial Diseases

Volume: 22 Issue: 14

Author(s): Stefania Galdiero, Annarita Falanga, Rita Berisio, Paolo Grieco, Giancarlo Morelli and Massimiliano Galdiero

Affiliation:

Keywords: Amphipathic α-helical peptides, antimicrobial peptide, conformational flexibility, multidrug-resistant strain.

Abstract: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an heterogeneous group of small amino acidic molecules produced by the innate immune system of a variety of organisms encompassing all orders of life from eukaryotes to amphibians, insects and plants. Numerous AMPs have been isolated from natural sources and many others have been de novo designed and synthetically produced. AMPs have antimicrobial activity in the micromolar range and compared with traditional antibiotics, they kill bacteria very rapidly. They act, principally, by the electrostatic attraction to negatively charged bacterial cells and consequently membrane disruption, but their antibacterial activity may also involve interference with metabolic processes or different cytoplasmic targets. AMPs are a group of unique and incredible compounds that may be directed to a therapeutic use either alone or in combination with existing antibiotics.

Cite this article as:

Galdiero Stefania, Falanga Annarita, Berisio Rita, Grieco Paolo, Morelli Giancarlo and Galdiero Massimiliano, Antimicrobial Peptides as an Opportunity Against Bacterial Diseases, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2015; 22 (14) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867322666150311145632