Disruption of Interactions between Hydrophobic Residues on Nonpolar Faces is a Key Determinant in Decreasing Hemolysis and Increasing Antimicrobial Activities of α‐Helical Amphipathic Peptides

Abstract

To design antimicrobial peptides with decrease pore-forming activity in eukaryotic (host) membranes, an amphipathic α-helical model peptide composed of Leu and Lys was modified to probe the balance in antimicrobial and hemolytic activities. Among analogues with broken hydrophobic interactions, L8N derivative exhibited an 8000-fold decrease in hemolytic activity and an eightfold improvement in antimicrobial activity, affording a 64 000-fold increase in therapeutic index against E. coli.