[Achievements and problems in studies of antibiotic peptides of an organic origin]

The paper contains the original data of the authors and literature survey in the field of studies of the structure and functions of antibiotic peptides. Physical-and-chemical as well as structural properties of a new subfamily of defensins, i.e. minidefensins (theta-defensins), are described in detail. Mechanisms of the antibiotic action of defensins and bactenecins as well as their role in regulating the body immune reactions are discussed.