Why Polymyxins Loosen Lipopolysaccharides Packing Yet Stiffen the Outer Membrane of Gram-Negative Bacteria-A Crowding Effect in the Headgroup Region - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #Molecular Dynamics
- #Lipopolysaccharide
- #Polymyxins
- Polymyxins (PmB) are last-line therapy for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.
- PmB primarily interacts with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) headgroups, causing crowding.
- Crowding shields LPS hydrophobic tails, enhancing outer membrane (OM) rigidity.
- PmB slightly decreases stiffness of the inner membrane (IM) by altering phospholipid orientation.
- Unlike traditional AMPs (e.g., Temporin L), PmB does not violently disrupt membrane integrity.
- PmB may kill bacteria by affecting growth, division, and metabolism rather than structural disruption.