Prof. Heiko Heerklotz "Activity and selectivity of membrane permeabilizing peptides"

Antibiotic peptides have attracted major attention as potential solutions to the problem of resistance against traditional antibiotics. Synthetic mimics are being developed to optimize activity, selectivity (reduce toxic side effects), price and stability. This requires a detailed, fundamental knowledge of the modes of action and their dependence on the lipid composition. We have used a new version of the classic liposome leakage assay, based on time resolved fluorescence, and other methods to study membrane permeabilizers. The miscibility of permeabilizers with the specific membrane lipids is found to be one important criterion governing their activity and synergistic versus antagonistic interaction.

invited by Dr. Renate Reiter