Precise Construction of an Antimicrobial Peptide Targeting Bacterial Cell Membranes Derived from Natural Peptides

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising for overcoming antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but precisely constructing AMPs that target bacterial membranes from natural peptides is challenging. Although AI-assisted screening has succeeded, predicting AMP targets remains difficult. To address this, an AMP based on insect cuticle peptides was precisely constructed via amino acid mutation, using Arginine (R) and Isoleucine (I) to target membranes. The resulting peptide, P 3-3R-8I, shows strong antibacterial activity against MRSA and E. coli by rapidly penetrating membranes and binding DNA to inhibit replication