Resumo

MONTANO-PEREZ, Karla  e  VARGAS-ALBORES, Francisco. Péptidos antimicrobianos: un mecanismo de defensa ancestral con mucho futuro. INCI [online]. 2002, vol.27, n.1, pp.21-27. ISSN 0378-1844.

Microbes are the most abundant living forms on the planet, yet many of them are potentially pathogens to other living creatures. Plants and animals have survived fighting against microbes through the development of defense systems which vary in complexity according to the evolutionary position of each organism. In all studied organisms, a defense mechanism named innate immunity been described. It is a non-specific and immediate response following the contact with a foreign particle. In the last years diverse effector molecules of the innate immunity have been described, including low molecular weight proteins, known as antimicrobial peptides. Although they can kill a wide range of microbes, due to its action mechanism these peptides are harmless to eukariotic cells. Antimicrobial peptides are the subject of intense research and are being tested as antimicrobial agents in food industry and as therapeutic agents.

Palavras-chave : Péptidos Antimicrobianos ; Inmunidad Innata ; PAM .