Antimicrobial agents are from different classes of molecules that suppress multiplication and growth of or kill microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses. The precise mechanism of action of some antimicrobial agents is unknown but they must interact with or cross the cell membrane to have an effect. Identification of the damage induced by these compounds is difficult due to the complexity of cell membranes. Studying interactions using membrane models is a first step in obtaining elementary information about the effects of such drugs. We discuss interaction studies in the recent literature that use calorimetric techniques, regarding the mechanism of action or side effects of antimicrobial agents. For interaction studies with mimetic membrane models using DSC analysis, we will try to answer some key questions: (a) Does lipid composition affect the interaction? (b) Does the composition of bilayers influence the secondary structure of a peptide antimicrobial? (c) Does lipid polymorphism influence the activity and toxicity of the molecules? We underline the importance of phospholipids (neutral or anionic) chosen to produce biomembrane vesicles as models for the different studies.

Antimicrobial agents

MUSUMECI, TERESA;PUGLISI, Giovanni
2013-01-01

Abstract

Antimicrobial agents are from different classes of molecules that suppress multiplication and growth of or kill microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses. The precise mechanism of action of some antimicrobial agents is unknown but they must interact with or cross the cell membrane to have an effect. Identification of the damage induced by these compounds is difficult due to the complexity of cell membranes. Studying interactions using membrane models is a first step in obtaining elementary information about the effects of such drugs. We discuss interaction studies in the recent literature that use calorimetric techniques, regarding the mechanism of action or side effects of antimicrobial agents. For interaction studies with mimetic membrane models using DSC analysis, we will try to answer some key questions: (a) Does lipid composition affect the interaction? (b) Does the composition of bilayers influence the secondary structure of a peptide antimicrobial? (c) Does lipid polymorphism influence the activity and toxicity of the molecules? We underline the importance of phospholipids (neutral or anionic) chosen to produce biomembrane vesicles as models for the different studies.
2013
978-190756805-3
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/69698
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