Study of interactions between novel Supramolecular Self-associating Antimicrobials (SSAs) and phospholipid bilayer Nanodiscs.

Novel research in antimicrobials is desperately needed due to high levels of antimicrobial resistance. It has been predicted that by 2050 antimicrobial resistant bacteria will be the cause of more deaths globally per year than cancer.2 Herein, is the study of novel supramolecular self-associating amphiphilic compounds and their selectivity towards bacterial membranes. Here model membranes are formed mimicking bacterial cells and mammalian cells for comparison. The model membranes are termed nanodiscs and consist of lipid bilayers solubilised with a co-polymer. Nanodiscs provide an excellent mimetic system for the investigation in binding association studies through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This investigation determines how different constituents attached to the same molecules affect their hydrogen bond donating (HBD) and hydrogen bond accepting (HBA) functionalities, through NMR analysis. The HBD/HBA causes membrane disruption and therefore shows potential for their use as future antimicrobial agents.