Research advances on plectasin and its derivatives as new potential antimicrobial candidates

Plectasin is a cationic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) that is 40 residues long and belongs to the cysteine-stabilized α-helix and β-sheet superfamily. This peptide, which was first isolated from the saprophytic fungus Pseudoplectania nigrella, exhibits strong bactericidal activity toward several gram-positive pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. In this review, we discuss the latest advances made to improve plectasin antimicrobial activity and reduce its cytotoxicity, namely a variety of methods for the design and construction of plectasin derivatives, hybrids, and available expression systems. In addition, we focused on the investigations regarding the biological activity, therapeutic properties, and mechanisms of action of this promising antibiotic.