Membrane-active peptides

We study the interaction of peptides with lipid membranes. Using newfangled software tools we investigate and extract features of lipid membrane-lytic peptides. Our studies integrate both computational and biochemical and biophysical experiments.

Synthesizer_Syringes

In our laboratory, robotics-assisted peptide synthesis is fuelled by smart computational amino acid sequence design. Our current projects addresses the pressing need for new antibacterial molecular agents by translating the insights gained into an original algorithm for the rational design of cell-type selective membrane-active peptides. We have successfully generated novel and highly potent membrane pore-forming antimicrobial and cancer cell targeting peptides using our advanced design algorithms.

The interactions of peptides with lipid membranes constitute a fundamental biological process for cellular activity. Membrane-lytic peptides, specifically antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and anti-cancer peptides (ACPs), are a most active area of research, not caused but also spurred by the urgent need for novel antibiotic agents and anticancer agents. There is emerging evidence for lipid membrane components and microdomains playing a seminal role in the epidemiology of human diseases, including cancer cell growth and metastasis, immunomodulation, and infection by pathogenic microorganisms. In this context a cell's plasma membrane represents an ideal drug target for innovative bioactive agents that destroy life-threatening cellular pathogens. Still, steering the target selectivity of membrane-interacting peptides remains a key question for the rational design of amino acid sequences with improved properties. In order to fill this need, we develop machine-learning approaches for generating novel peptides with desired membrane activities and study their effects using thermal (ITC, DSC) spectroscopic (CD, NMR) and ligand-binding (SPR) measurements.

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