SELECTIVE TARGETING OF MICROBES BY PEPTIDES OF THE INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Abstract

Cytolytic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are key components of the innate immune system of many organisms including man. They act by disrupting the outer membranes of bacteria, fungi and enveloped viruses. These simple peptides are highly specific and increasingly seen as a new source of antibiotic agents capable of combating the rising resistance to current drugs. Our aim is to determine the mechanism by which cytolytic AMPs act and to understand the factors that give rise to membrane and cell specificity.

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