Phospholipid composition of the outer membrane of Escherichia coli influences its susceptibility against antimicrobial peptide apidaecin 1b

Proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs) kill bacteria in a multi-modal mechanism by inhibiting the 70S ribosome (i.e., protein translation) as dominant lethal mechanism besides inhibition of several other proteins, such as chaperone DnaK. PrAMPs pass the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, probably by a self-promoted uptake followed by a transporter-mediated uptake from the periplasm. Mutation of transporter protein SbmA is a well-studied resistance mechanism observed in vitro by resistance induction with PrAMPs.
Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease - Category: Microbiology Authors: Source Type: research