Antimicrobial specificity and hemolytic activity of cyclized basic amphiphilic beta-structural model peptides and their interactions with phospholipid bilayers.

We synthesized a series of cyclic antiparallel beta-sheet model peptides with various ring sizes, which were designed on the basis of a cyclic beta-structural antibiotic, gramicidin S (GS); cyclo(Val-Orn-Leu-D-Phe-Pro)2, and investigated in terms of their antimicrobial activity and specificity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and lytic activity for human erythrocytes. In our planning, in order to compare the peptides with GS, D-Phe-Pro sequence forming beta-turn in GS molecule remained unaltered and repeating sequences of alternately hydrophobic (Leu)-hydrophilic (Orn) residue were introduced into the beta-structural parts. CD study in acidic liposomes as well as leakage study of carboxyfluorescein encapsulated in phospholipid vesicles indicated that the peptides strongly interacted with lipid bilayers by taking an amphiphilic beta-structure. Antimicrobial study showed that although GS is active only against Gram-positive bacteria, the antimicrobial spectra of the model peptides transformed gradually to be active against Gram-negative ones and finally only against Gram-negative bacteria whose repeating sequences increased. It should be noted that the designed cyclic model peptides show antibacterial activity but accompany no hemolysis. This indicates that an appropriate hydrophobicity together with a proper orientation of hydrophilic (cationic) and hydrophobic groups in cyclic beta-structural molecules can hold antimicrobial activity against both types of bacteria without damaging eukaryotic cells.