Fig. 11

Proposed mechanism of action for pseudonajide (peptide 2). a Schematic of the proposed mechanism of action of pseudonajide in the cell walls and membranes of Gram-positive bacteria. The cationic peptide is shown interacting with negative charges from the cell wall components and with the hydrophobic portions of bacterial membranes. Such interactions lead to: (b) cell envelope binding, shown in a confocal microscopy image; (c) defective morphology, observed by scanning electron microscopy; and (d) cell wall and membrane fractures, observed by transmission electron microscopy