Issue 35, 2021

Unravelling the antimicrobial activity of peptide hydrogel systems: current and future perspectives

Abstract

The use of hydrogels has garnered significant interest as biomaterial and drug delivery platforms for anti-infective applications. For decades antimicrobial peptides have been heralded as a much needed new class of antimicrobial drugs. Self-assembling peptide hydrogels with inherent antimicrobial ability have recently come to the fore. However, their fundamental antimicrobial properties, selectivity and mechanism of action are relatively undefined. This review attempts to establish a link between antimicrobial efficacy; the self-assembly process; peptide–membrane interactions and mechanical properties by studying several reported peptide systems: β-hairpin/β-loop peptides; multidomain peptides; amphiphilic surfactant-like peptides and ultrashort/low molecular weight peptides. We also explore their role in the formation of amyloid plaques and the potential for an infection etiology in diseases such as Alzheimer's. We look briefly at innovative methods of gel characterization. These may provide useful tools for future studies within this increasingly important field.

Graphical abstract: Unravelling the antimicrobial activity of peptide hydrogel systems: current and future perspectives

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
04 jun. 2021
Accepted
19 ago. 2021
First published
24 ago. 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Soft Matter, 2021,17, 8001-8021

Unravelling the antimicrobial activity of peptide hydrogel systems: current and future perspectives

E. R. Cross, S. M. Coulter, S. Pentlavalli and G. Laverty, Soft Matter, 2021, 17, 8001 DOI: 10.1039/D1SM00839K

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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