Antimicrobial Peptides - Mode of Action

Mode of Action

Several methods have been used to determine the mechanisms of antimicrobial peptide activity. In particular, solid-state NMR studies have provided an atomic-level resolution explanation of membrane disruption by antimicrobial peptides.

Methods Applications
Microscopy to visualize the effects of antimicrobial peptides on microbial cells.
Fluorescent dyes to measure antimicrobial peptides to permeabilize membrane vesicles.
Ion channel formation to assess the formation and stability of an antimicrobial-peptide-induced pore.
Circular dichroism and orientated circular dichroism to measure the orientation and secondary structure of an antimicrobial peptide bound to a lipid bilayer
Dual Polarization Interferometry to measure the different mechanisms of antimocrobial peptides
Solid-state NMR spectroscopy to measure the secondary structure, orientation and penetration of antimicrobial peptides into lipid bilayers in the biologically relevant LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE STATE
Neutron and X-ray diffraction to measure the diffraction patterns of peptide-induced pores within membranes in oriented multilayers or liquids

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