Dimerization of the antimicrobial peptide polyphemusin I into one polypeptide chain: Theoretical and practical consequences

A strategy of sequential dimerization of monomers of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) into one polypeptide chain has been implemented on the example of a beta-structural AMP polyphemusin I which is one of the most effective candidate for use as an antibiotic. The possible polyphemusin I monomer and dimer structures in lipid membrane were studied in this work via molecular modeling. To this end, these molecules were chemically synthesized so that the dimer represented two monomers connected in series into one polypeptide chain with a flexible linker. The antimicrobial effects of monomer and dimer were then tested on various bacterial cultures, and their similarity was shown. Therefore, we can conclude that the pore formation is not a putative mechanism of the polyphemusin I action. © 2019 State Research Institute for Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms.