Antimicrobial Peptides: Antibacterial Mechanism and Therapeutic Use

Abstract:

Antimicrobial peptides, a cluster of small peptides secreted by the majority of creatures, have been demonstrated with activity against a wide range of microorganisms including bacteria, protozoa, yeast, fungi, viruses and even tumor cells. These peptides have some features such as broad spectrum , high efficacy and stability, little drug resistance. A lack of new antibiotics combined with emerging multi-drug resistance issues demands that new antimicrobial strategies be explored for treating these infections. It has been proposed that the antimicrobial peptides might form the foundation for a new class of clinically useful antimicrobials. We review the advantages of these molecules in construction features and bioactivity, with the focus on the mechanism and clinical applications.