A Comprehensive Overview of Antimicrobial Peptides: Broad-Spectrum Activity, Computational Approaches, and...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Bioactive peptides with antimicrobial activity are gaining attention as potential antibiotic alternatives.
• Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small molecules (6-60 amino acids) with low cytotoxicity and minimal side effects.
• AMPs exhibit broad-spectrum activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites via diverse mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the key aspects of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs).
• To examine their biochemical characteristics, sources, mechanisms of action, and computational analysis tools.
• To discuss recent clinical trial progress, limitations, and diverse applications.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of antimicrobial peptides.
• Analysis of biochemical properties and sources.
• Examination of mechanisms of action and computational tools.
• Review of clinical trial data and limitations.

Main Results:

• AMPs possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and interact with the immune system.
• Various computational tools aid in AMP identification and analysis.
• Clinical trials show promise, but development faces limitations.
• AMPs have applications in food preservation and veterinary medicine.

Conclusions:

• Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are versatile agents with potential beyond human medicine.
• Effective implementation requires multidisciplinary approaches for health, food, and veterinary sectors.
• AMPs can reduce reliance on conventional antibiotics in multiple industries.