Intrinsic flexibility and structural adaptability of Plasticins membrane-damaging peptides as a strategy for functional versatility

Eur Biophys J. 2007 Nov;36(8):901-9. doi: 10.1007/s00249-007-0199-2. Epub 2007 Jul 11.

Abstract

The Plasticins are a family of antimicrobial, 23-29-residue Gly-Leu-rich ortholog peptides from the frog skin that have very similar amino acid sequences, hydrophobicities, and amphipathicities but differ markedly in their conformational plasticity and spectrum of activity. The intrinsic flexibility and structural malleability of Plasticins modulate their ability to bind to and disrupt the bilayer membranes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and/or to reach intracellular targets, therefore, triggering functional versatility. The discussion is opened herein on several examples of other membrane-active peptides, like viral fusion peptides, cell-penetrating peptides, that are able to display antimicrobial activity. Hence, Plasticins could be regarded as models of multipotent membrane-active peptides guided by structural plasticity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry*
  • Anura
  • Eye Proteins / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Membranes / chemistry
  • Membranes / drug effects*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Eye Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • plasticin