Peptide Antibiotics: Discovery, Modes of Action and Applications

This reference summarizes the latest research on the structure, function, and design of synthetic and natural peptide antibiotics, describing practical applications in food preservation and packaging, and in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases by direct antibacterial action and as part of the adaptive immune response. It discusses these compounds and their applications including: the distribution and classification of diverse, antimicrobial peptides throughout nature, the role in host defense of mucosal surface peptide antibiotics such as defensins and cathepsins, and the genetic basis determining the production of bacterial peptide antibiotics.