Evaluation of the synergistic potential and mechanisms of action for designed cationic antimicrobial peptides.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising candidates in combating antimicrobial resistance - a growing issue in healthcare. However, to develop AMPs into effective therapeutics, a thorough analysis and extensive investigations are essential. In this study, we employed an approach to design cationic AMPs , followed by their experimental testing. The antibacterial potential of designed cationic AMPs, along with their synergistic properties in combination with conventional antibiotics was examined. Furthermore, the effects of bacterial inoculum density and metabolic state on the antibacterial activity of AMPs were evaluated. Finally, the impact of several potent AMPs on cell envelope and genomic DNA integrity was determined. Collectively, this comprehensive analysis provides insights into the unique characteristics of cationic AMPs.