TY - JOUR
T1 - The relationship between peptide structure and antibacterial activity
AU - Powers, Jon Paul S.
AU - Hancock, Robert E.W.
N1 - Funding Information:
We acknowledge funding from the Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network to R.E.W.H. R.E.W.H. is the recipient of a Canada Research Chair and J.P.S.P. is the recipient of an NSERC Industrial Postgraduate Scholarship supported by Helix BioMedix Inc. The authors would like to thank Joseph McPhee and David Jung for critical help in preparing this review.
PY - 2003/11
Y1 - 2003/11
N2 - Cationic antimicrobial peptides are a class of small, positively charged peptides known for their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. These peptides have also been shown to possess anti-viral and anti-cancer activity and, most recently, the ability to modulate the innate immune response. To date, a large number of antimicrobial peptides have been chemically characterized, however, few high-resolution structures are available. Structure-activity studies of these peptides reveal two main requirements for antimicrobial activity, (1) a cationic charge and (2) an induced amphipathic conformation. In addition to peptide conformation, the role of membrane lipid composition, specifically non-bilayer lipids, on peptide activity will also be discussed.
AB - Cationic antimicrobial peptides are a class of small, positively charged peptides known for their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. These peptides have also been shown to possess anti-viral and anti-cancer activity and, most recently, the ability to modulate the innate immune response. To date, a large number of antimicrobial peptides have been chemically characterized, however, few high-resolution structures are available. Structure-activity studies of these peptides reveal two main requirements for antimicrobial activity, (1) a cationic charge and (2) an induced amphipathic conformation. In addition to peptide conformation, the role of membrane lipid composition, specifically non-bilayer lipids, on peptide activity will also be discussed.
KW - Antimicrobial cationic peptide
KW - Polyphemusin
KW - Structure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=1042278915&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.peptides.2003.08.023
DO - 10.1016/j.peptides.2003.08.023
M3 - Article
C2 - 15019199
AN - SCOPUS:1042278915
SN - 0196-9781
VL - 24
SP - 1681
EP - 1691
JO - Peptides
JF - Peptides
IS - 11
ER -