Antimicrobial Peptide Synthesis- Broad Spectrum Possibilities

Antimicrobial peptides occur naturally, contribute to the innate immune system and are found in each class of life on Earth. Researching new sources of antimicrobial drugs will likely help slow the effects of antibiotic resistant pathogens. This project will couple two amino acids to make a dipeptide. The goal is to produce only one type of dipeptide by using protecting groups on the N-terminus of one amino acid and the C-terminus of the other amino acid. This will reduce the number of products from four to one. The resulting product will be tested for antimicrobial properties.