Structural pores not required: Antimicrobial peptides induce ion permeabilization of lipid membranes through transient water channels

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 122, Issue 44, November 2025. <br/>SignificanceAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potent natural antibiotics, effective against resistant bacteria, yet their precise mechanisms of action remain unclear. Traditionally, it is believed that AMPs form structural pores in bacterial membranes. …