title: On the electrostatics of cell-membrane recognition: from natural antibiotics to rigid push-pull rods.
abstract: The question why pore-forming, alpha-helical natural antibiotics are not toxic is discussed within the general context of the interaction of electrostatically asymmetric "nanorods" with neutral, anionic, and polarized bilayer membranes. We suggest that simplification of the structural complexity of natural systems will be necessary to ultimately define the involved subtle balance between constructive and destructive electrostatic interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matile
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents