Abstract
This review identifies the ways in which tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLMs) can be used for the identification of the actions of antimicrobials against lipid bilayers. Much of the new research in this area has originated, or included researchers from, the southern hemisphere, Australia and New Zealand in particular. More and more, tBLMs are replacing liposome release assays, black lipid membranes and patch-clamp electrophysiological techniques because they use fewer reagents, are able to obtain results far more quickly and can provide a uniformity of responses with fewer artefacts. In this work, we describe how tBLM technology can and has been used to identify the actions of numerous antimicrobial agents.
Highlights
IntroductionAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are of increasing interest as potential lead candidates for treating infection because they are thought to be more impervious to antibacterial resistance mechanisms [1]
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are of increasing interest as potential lead candidates for treating infection because they are thought to be more impervious to antibacterial resistance mechanisms [1].One of the most rapid and increasingly effective methods for testing the actions of antimicrobials that target microbial membranes is to use tethered bilayer lipid membranes in association with electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)
The barrel-stave model has evolved into different forms, with a number of antimicrobial peptides not conforming to the rudimentary barrel-stave model, namely magainins, protegrins and melittin [48,49,50,51,52]
Summary
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are of increasing interest as potential lead candidates for treating infection because they are thought to be more impervious to antibacterial resistance mechanisms [1]. The other end of the DLP was firmly attached to a gold substrate surface through sulphur–gold coordination chemistry This system took the concept of tethering or anchoring the membrane to the solid substrate surface described by Beyer et al, (1996) and removed the polymer cushion, creating a much larger reservoir space for transmembrane protein insertion and free ion diffusion (Figure 1). This optimized reservoir space was enhanced by mixing in polar spacer molecules, which prevented the formation of a monolayer beneath the membrane by providing lateral separation of the tethers [13]. This review does not seek to identify all the research into AMPs using tBLMs, rather, it seeks to detail what tBLM technology can do to identify the actions of AMPs
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