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Membrane Association and Pore Formation by Alpha-Helical Peptides

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Proteins Membrane Binding and Pore Formation

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 677))

Abstract

Membrane-active peptides exhibit antimicrobial, channel-forming and transport activities and have therefore early on been interesting targets for biophysical investigations. When the peptide-lipid interactions are studied a dynamic view emerges in which the peptides change conformation upon membrane insertion, can adopt a variety of topologies and change the macroscopic phase properties of the membrane locally or globally. Interestingly several proteins have been identified that also interact with the membrane in a dynamic fashion and where the lessons learned from peptides may add to our understanding of the ways these proteins function.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de chimie, CNRS—Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7177, 4, rue Blaise Pascal, 67070, Strasbourg, France

    Burkhard Bechinger

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  1. Burkhard Bechinger
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Gregor Anderluh PhD

  2. Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, The Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Jeremy Lakey PhD

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Bechinger, B. (2010). Membrane Association and Pore Formation by Alpha-Helical Peptides. In: Anderluh, G., Lakey, J. (eds) Proteins Membrane Binding and Pore Formation. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 677. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6327-7_3

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