Dual-Mechanism Antimicrobial Peptides from a Nature-Inspired Scaffold

isolates revealed species-specific susceptibility patterns. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated minimal membrane-lytic activity at concentrations exceeding their MICs, indicating that membrane disruption is not their primary mode of action. In contrast, in vitro transcription/translation assays demonstrated potent inhibition of protein expression. These results demonstrate how targeted sequence refinement can substantially enhance antimicrobial potency while modulating interactions with bacterial membranes and the transcription/translation machinery.