Detailed Explanation
23-amino-acid antimicrobial peptide isolated from the skin of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) by Michael Zasloff in 1987. Magainins form amphipathic α-helices that disrupt bacterial membranes via the toroidal pore model.
Zasloff's discovery — prompted by observing that surgically wounded frogs rarely developed infections in non-sterile aquarium water — was a landmark in AMP research. A synthetic analog (pexiganan/MSI-78) advanced to Phase III clinical trials for diabetic foot ulcers but narrowly failed to gain FDA approval, illustrating the difficulty of translating AMPs into clinical drugs.
Key Facts
- 23-amino-acid antimicrobial peptide isolated from the skin of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) by Michael Zasloff in 1987.
- Magainins form amphipathic α-helices that disrupt bacterial membranes via the toroidal pore model.
- Zasloff's discovery — prompted by observing that surgically wounded frogs rarely developed infections in non-sterile aquarium water — was a landmark in AMP research.
- A synthetic analog (pexiganan/MSI-78) advanced to Phase III clinical trials for diabetic foot ulcers but narrowly failed to gain FDA approval, illustrating the difficulty of translating AMPs into clinical drugs.
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