title: Natural and synthetic peptides with antifungal activity.
abstract: In recent years, the increase of invasive fungal infections and the emergence of antifungal resistance stressed the need for new antifungal drugs. Peptides have shown to be good candidates for the development of alternative antimicrobial agents through high-throughput screening, and subsequent optimization according to a rational approach. This review presents a brief overview on antifungal natural peptides of different sources (animals, plants, micro-organisms), peptide fragments derived by proteolytic cleavage of precursor physiological proteins (cryptides), synthetic unnatural peptides and peptide derivatives. Antifungal peptides are schematically reported based on their structure, antifungal spectrum and reported effects. Natural or synthetic peptides and their modified derivatives may represent the basis for new compounds active against fungal infections.
authors: Unit of Microbiology & Virology, Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological & Translational Sciences (S.Bi.Bi.T.), University of Parma, via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy.
authors: Tecla
authors: T
authors: Ciociola
authors: Unit of Microbiology & Virology, Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological & Translational Sciences (S.Bi.Bi.T.), University of Parma, via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Giovati
authors: Unit of Microbiology & Virology, Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological & Translational Sciences (S.Bi.Bi.T.), University of Parma, via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Conti
authors: Unit of Microbiology & Virology, Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological & Translational Sciences (S.Bi.Bi.T.), University of Parma, via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy.
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Magliani
authors: Unit of Microbiology & Virology, Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological & Translational Sciences (S.Bi.Bi.T.), University of Parma, via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Santinoli
authors: Unit of Microbiology & Virology, Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological & Translational Sciences (S.Bi.Bi.T.), University of Parma, via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy.
authors: Luciano
authors: L
authors: Polonelli
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D010455:Peptides
keywords: antifungal peptides; antimicrobial drugs; cryptides; infectious disease therapeutics; peptidomimetics