Many antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) possess an α-helix structure with positive charges on one side and lipophilic groups along the other side in contact with bacterial membranes. Such common structural features of AMPs with a global segregation of cationic and lipophilic side chains are also referred to as facial amphiphilicity or amphipathicity. Synthetic AMP-mimicking cationic polymers have been studied widely as a promising solution to combat bacteria due to their high antimicrobial efficacy and low manufacturing cost. However, most of antimicrobial polymers rely on uncontrolled polymeric self-aggregation, which is difficult for achieving “global facial amphiphilicity” as restricted with a very high entropic penalty. I will discuss a new class of cationic antimicrobial polymers containing facial amphiphilicity to enhance interactions with bacterial membranes. The key is to utilize multicyclic natural products such as terpenoids and steroids. These macromolecular compositions have strong affinity for diverse bacterial membranes, particularly targeted at Gram-negative bacteria. It is also more cost-effective to manufacture these compounds and polymers.

Constructing facial amphiphilic antimicrobials from multicyclic natural products

2019 Spring National Meeting

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