Tryptophan End-Tagging Confers Antifungal Activity on a Tick-Derived Peptide by Triggering Reactive Oxygen Species Production.

WHO has identified several species including as critical priority fungal pathogens due to greater infection prevalence and formation of recalcitrant biofilms. Novel antifungal agents are urgently needed, and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are being considered as potential alternatives, but inactivity in physiological salt environments, serum, and plasma often limits further therapeutic development. Tryptophan end-tagging is a strategy to overcome these limitations and is thought to selectively enhance membrane permeabilization in both fungal and bacterial plasma membranes.