European Peptide Society

The Journal of Peptide Science recently published a special issue with reviews, full papers and communications on membrane-active peptides. The manuscripts were submitted from participants at the 2nd Workshop on Biophysics of Membrane-Active Peptides.

The chairmen of the symposium, Miguel A.R.B. Castanho and Margitta Dathe, write in their Editorial... 

 The idea that membrane lipids may mediate receptor–ligand interactions, the emergence of new anti-microbial peptides, and the potential of cell-penetrating peptides for therapeutic applications have granted membrane-active peptides the attention of a large community of scientists.

Among them are the biophysicists: people keen to obtain a quantitative understanding of the physical principles that govern the interactions between peptides and lipids, as well as peptide–peptide interactions in lipid environments at the molecular level.

For a deeper insight into these molecular events and to better control the variables, model systems such as lipid vesicles are often used. A correlation with in vivo studies is often attempted, but the complexity involved in cell membranes makes this task quite hard and difficult to accomplish.

The participation of both pre-doctoral and senior researchers, studying in a wide range of techniques, from in silicoto in vivo, helped formulate new problems and seek new solutions, thus improving the state of the art. In this special issue, methodical aspects, the structure and function of peptides exhibiting fusogenic, membrane-translocating or membrane-permeabilising behaviour, as well as their interaction with model membrane systems and their effects on a cellular level are presented.

To continue the successful series of meetings focussed on peptide–membrane biophysics, the next workshop on Biophysics of Membrane-Active Peptidesis scheduled for 2009, to be organised by Prof. Anne Ulrich in Karlsruhe, Germany. 

 In May and June, all users of the EPS website can access the content of this special issue of the Journal of Peptide Science for FREE:

Volume 14 Issue 4 , Pages 365 - 543 (April 2008)
Special Issue: 2nd Workshop on Biophysics of Membrane-Active Peptides
Issue Edited by Miguel A.R. B. Castanho, Margitta Dathe