Rana F R, Sultany C M, Blazyk J
Department of Chemistry, Ohio University, Athens 45701.
FEBS Lett. 1990 Feb 26;261(2):464-7. doi: 10.1016/0014-5793(90)80616-q.
Effects of magainin 2 amide on the phase behavior of Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. This antimicrobial cationic peptide disorders the lipopolysaccharide at molecular ratios of lipopolysaccharide to magainin greater than 4, and can induce a temperature-dependent structural reorientation. The nature of the five phosphate groups of lipopolysaccharide was determined by 31P NMR spectroscopy. At pH 7.4, the net charge on the phosphates is -7. Lipopolysaccharide undoubtedly plays an important role in modulating the interactions of magainin with the gram-negative cell envelope and may act as a molecular sponge to protect the plasma membrane.
