EVOGENE seminar: Håvard Jenssen (Roskilde, DK)

Modulation of antimicrobial peptide structures has for decades been used as a strategy to improve antibacterial peptide activity. And, biological studies of this class of molecules has subsequently revealed a selection of secondary biological effects, yet the clinical success is still missing. Poor enzymatic stability has for decades been blamed for this. To circumvent this, we have studied a group of peptide mimics (peptoids) with superior enzymatic stability and low toxicity. Though, while successfully developing highly potent peptoid molecules we have also discovered their subsequent ability to aggregate, and lately investigated the impact of this aggregation on the molecule’s bioactivity.