Effect of antimicrobial peptides from Australian tree frogs on anionic phospholipid membranes.

Skin secretions of numerous Australian tree frogs contain antimicrobial peptides that form part of the host defense mechanism against bacterial infection. The mode of action of these antibiotics is thought to be lysis of infectious organisms via cell membrane disruption, on the basis of vesicle-encapsulated dye leakage data [Ambroggio et al. (2005) Biophys.