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Updated: May 30, 2026

Antimicrobial Peptides Produced by Selective Pressure Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids
Published on: May 4, 2018
Functional synergy between antimicrobial peptoids and peptides against Gram-negative bacteria
Nathaniel P Chongsiriwatana1, Modi Wetzler, Annelise E Barron
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
Abstract:
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are integral components of innate immunity and are typically found in combinations in which they can synergize for broader-spectrum or more potent activity. Previously, we reported peptoid mimics of AMPs with potent and selective antimicrobial activity. Using checkerboard assays, we demonstrate that peptoids and AMPs can interact synergistically, with fractional inhibitory concentration indices as low as 0.16. These results strongly suggest that antimicrobial peptoids and peptides are functionally and mechanistically analogous.
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