Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 2, 2025

Production and Visualization of Bacterial Spheroplasts and Protoplasts to Characterize Antimicrobial Peptide Localization
Published on: August 11, 2018
Leaflet by Leaflet Synergistic Effects of Antimicrobial Peptides on Bacterial and Mammalian Membrane Models
Arpita Roy1, Nirod Kumar Sarangi1, Surajit Ghosh1
1School of Chemical Sciences and National Centre for Sensor Research, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland.
Abstract:
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer significant hope in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Operating via a mechanism different from that of antibiotics, they target the microbial membrane and ideally should damage it without impacting mammalian cells. Here, the interactions of two AMPs, magainin 2 and PGLa, and their synergistic effects on bacterial and mammalian membrane models were studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Toroidal pore formation was observed by AFM when the two AMPs were combined, while individually AMP effects were confined to the exterior leaflet of the bacterial membrane analogue. Using microcavity-supported lipid bilayers, the diffusivity of each bilayer leaflet could be studied independently, and we observed that combined, the AMPs penetrate both leaflets of the bacterial model but individually each peptide had a limited impact on the proximal leaflet of the bacterial model. The impact of AMPs on a ternary, mammalian mimetic membrane was much weaker.
Related Concept Videos
Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Such synergistic combinations...
Antimicrobial Proteins
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Surface Membrane Barriers
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
Plasma Membrane in Bacteria and Archaea
Fluid Mosaic Model
Antimicrobial Effectiveness

