Abstract
Cochleate cylinders are tightly wrapped, micrometer-size tubes of concentric bilayers folded in a spiral configuration. They were discovered during Ca2+-induced fusion of small unilamellar vesicles made of phosphatidylserine [1]. Now they are used as platform technology for antigen delivery for vaccination and for oral drug delivery. Here we report the formation of cochleate cylinder by treating PS-free lipid films with cationic antimicrobial peptides without the requirement for divalent cations. The lipid films employed are mimicking the lipid pattern of cytoplasmic membranes of Gram negative bacteria. The antimicrobial peptides chosen contain the oligo-acyl-lysyl (OAK) sequence C12K-7α8. Due to their cationic nature they replace the divalent cations in the cochleate cylinder forming process. Furthermore, this new type of cochleate cylinder has been proven to encapsulate and transport traditional, essentially ineffective antibiotics such as erythromycin to resistant bacteria cells [2]. The double-function of OAK-based antimicrobial peptides in forming cochleate cylinder and promoting encapsulation and effective delivery of traditional antibiotics in/by these assemblies provides an interesting approach to overcome antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
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