Modern Studies on Membrane-Targeting Antimicrobial Peptides

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past decades, thousands of natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been isolated from representatives of all kingdoms of life. Most of them are genetically encoded products of ribosomal synthesis that undergo minor post-translational modifications. Thanks to the development of NGS technologies, a huge number of potentially active homologous structures have been identified in the sequenced genomes and transcriptomes of many prokaryotic and eukaryotic species. In multicellular organisms, AMPs are effectors and regulators of innate immunity, while in unicellular organisms they play the role of signaling and aggression instruments in the struggle for an ecological niche. The direct antimicrobial action of AMP in most cases is due to their membrane-targeting mechanism of action, which can optionally involve interaction with a specific membrane component or receptor and, ultimately, ends with the incorporation of the peptide into the lipid bilayer and disruption of the membrane barrier function. Some AMPs use their membrane activity to penetrate into the cytoplasm of the target cell where they interfere with such processes as transcription or translation. AMPs are considered as prototypes of a new generation of antibacterial and antifungal agents active against pathogenic strains resistant to conventional antibiotics. The COVID-19 pandemic has further updated research in this field since superinfections (including multidrug-resistant acquired during hospitalization) are a factor that aggravates the course of the disease and increases mortality.

This Special Issue is aimed at demonstrating recent advances in the study of the structure and functional activity of natural and artificial membrane-targeting AMPs, the study of physicochemical and biological aspects of their mechanism of action, including interaction with lipid or protein components of target cell membranes. The data obtained on living cells and simplified model systems, such as micelles or liposomes, may be presented, which may be supported by in silico simulations. Both experimental articles and reviews are welcome.

Kind regards,
Dr. Ekaterina I. Finkina
Dr. Sergey V. Balandin
Guest Editors

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