Spontaneous polymerization of the antibiotic peptide magainin 2

FEBS Letters

Cruciani, Ricardo A.²  Urrutia, Raul¹  Barker, Jeffery L.²  Kachar, Bechara¹ 

[1] Laboratory of Neuro-otolaryngology, NIDCD Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;Laboratory of Neurophysiology, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA

关键词: Polymerization;    Antibiotic mechanism;    Electron microscopy;    Magainin 2;   

DOI  :  10.1016/0014-5793(89)81230-X

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

We describe here the ability of the magainin 2 peptide to assemble spontaneously into characteristic 13-nm diameter filaments having a 30 nm periodic helical substructure. Optimal conditions for extensive polymerization into filaments of several hundred microns required low pH and high ionic strength. Polymerization of the magainin 2 peptide may be involved in its recently described in vitro membrane-disrupting and antibiotic activities.

【 授权许可】

Unknown