Generic placeholder image

Current Drug Targets

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1389-4501
ISSN (Online): 1873-5592

The Therapeutic Potential of Host-Defense Antimicrobial Peptides

Author(s): N. Sitaram and R. Nagaraj

Volume 3, Issue 3, 2002

Page: [259 - 267] Pages: 9

DOI: 10.2174/1389450023347786

Price: $65

Abstract

Species across the evolutionary scale from insects to mammals deploy peptides to counter microbial invaders. Although, there are considerable differences in the primary and secondary structures of these peptides, they exert their antimicrobial activity by common mechanisms ie. by membrane permeabilization. Extensive structure-function studies have been carried out on this class of antimicrobial peptides and ‘designer’ peptides have been generated which possess specific antimicrobial activity. In this article the physico-chemical properties and biological activities of host-defense peptides and ‘designer’ peptides would be reviewed with a view to explore whether they could be used as effective therapeutic agents.


Rights & Permissions Print Cite
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy