A CONCISE REVIEW ON THE ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES AND THEIR CRITICAL ACTIVITY AGAINST INTRACELLULAR TARGETS OF BACTERIA

Abstract

Multi-drug resistance, which is the consequence of overusing antibiotics, has been shown to become a common problem in the medical environments. Accordingly, finding a substitute for daily used antibiotics is a topic of interest in medical microbiology and biotechnology. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are among the main candidates for controlling this problem. These peptides are regarded as the critical defensive line in many organisms. These AMPs act as an innate immunity against pathogenic microorganisms; such as bacteria or fungi. AMPs could destroy their target via different methods; including membrane pore-formation or by targeting their intracellular targets and disrupting the normal cellular activity. Some AMPs have the property of targeting constructs like DNA, RNA, protein synthesis and folding and inhibiting cell life activities; such as normal metabolism or cell division. At this study, we reviewed more than 130 papers that were concerning the importance of intracellular targeting AMPs, by searching the valuable data sources such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. These AMPs can be considered as one of the possible options to improve the treatment of infected patients. In this review, it was aimed to discuss the activity of intracellular AMPs and provide an outlook for future studies.