In this text, the small team of expert authors presents the field in a comprehensive and accessible manner that is well suited for students and junior researchers.The result is a highly readable and systematically structured introduction to antimicrobial peptides, their structure, biological function and mode of action. The authors point the way towards a rational design of this potentially highly effective new class of clinical antibiotics on the brink of industrial application. They do this by discussing their design principles, target membranes and structure-activity relationships. The final part of the book describes recent successes in the application of peptides as anticancer agents.

PREFACE ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES: THEIR HISTORY, EVOLUTION, AND FUNCTIONAL PROMISCUITY Introduction: The History of Antimicrobial Peptides AMPs: Evolutionarily Ancient Molecules AMPs: Multifunctional Molecules Discussion CATIONIC ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES Introduction CAMPs and Their Antimicrobial Action CAMPs That Adopt an alpha-Helical Structure CAMPs That Adopt a ß-Sheet Structure CAMPs That Adopt Extended Structures Rich in Specific ResiduesDiscussion ANIONIC ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES Introduction AAMPs in the Respiratory Tract AAMPs in the Brain AAMPs in the Epidermis AAMPs in the Epididymis AAMPs in Blood Components AAMPs in the Gastrointestinal Tract and Food Proteins AAMPs and Their Structure - Function RelationshipsDiscussion GRAPHICAL TECHNIQUES TO VISUALIZE THE AMPHIPHILIC STRUCTURES OF ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES Introduction Amphiphilic Structures Adopted by AMPs Qualitative Methods for Identifying Amphiphilic Structure Quantitative Techniques for Analyzing Amphiphilic Structure Discussion MODELS FOR THE MEMBRANE INTERACTIONS OF ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES Introduction CM-Associated Factors That Affect the Antimicrobial Action of a-CAMPs Mechanisms Used by CAMPs for Microbial Membrane Interaction Established Models for the Membrane Interactions of a-AMPs Recent Novel Models for the Membrane Interactions of a-AMPs Tilted Peptide Mechanism Amyloidogenic Mechanisms Discussion SELECTIVITY AND TOXICITY OF ONCOLYTIC ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES Introduction Peptide-Based Factors That Contribute to the Anticancer Action of Anticancer Peptides Membrane-Based Factors That Contribute to the Anticancer Action of ACPs Discussion INDEX