How nature morphs peptide scaffolds into antibiotics.
The conventional notion that peptides are poor candidates for orally available drugs because of protease-sensitive peptide bonds, intrinsic hydrophilicity, and ionic charges contrasts with the diversity of antibiotic natural products with peptide-based frameworks that are synthesized and utilized by Nature. Several of these antibiotics, including penicillin and vancomycin, are employed to treat bacterial infections in humans and have been best-selling therapeutics for decades. Others might provide new platforms for the design of novel therapeutics to combat emerging antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens.
Nolan
Elizabeth M
EM
Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Walsh
Christopher T
CT
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D010455:Peptides; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins