Antimicrobial peptide-coupled silver nanomaterials and their applications in medical and food fields

Abstract

Due to antimicrobial activity, nanoparticles (NPs) in combination with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can be used to kill drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. Nanosilver (AgNPs) has broad-spectrum and efficient antimicrobial properties, multiple bacterial inactivation mechanisms, and the ability to fine-tune the conjugation on the surface of antimicrobial peptide-conjugated silver nanoparticles (AMP-AgNPs), which results in higher biosafety of AMP-AgNPs. The review summarized the latest research progress of AMP-AgNPs conjugates and discussed the synthesis method, antibacterial activity, mechanism of action, hemolytic toxicity of AMP-AgNPs conjugates, as well as their applications in medical and food fields. The future development direction of AMP-AgNPs conjugates was also prospected.

Keywords

• bacterial infection
• antimicrobial peptides
• coupling
• biosafety
• medical
• food