PEPTIDE ANTIBIOTICS - HOLY OR HERETIC GRAILS OF INNATE IMMUNITY

In the last 2 years (1994-95), two symposium volumes and three reviews have been published that were fully devoted to peptide antibiotics (a ntibacterial peptides or antimicrobial peptides). Since the field has been growing rapidly, this review is largely a follow-up of new result s published in the last 2 years. Sequencing of the 16S RNA of the smal l ribosomal subunit indicate that the microbial world is much larger t han generally appreciated. The importance of the natural flora is stre ssed and its effect on the evolution of peptide antibiotics and immuni ty in general is discussed.