Antimicrobial peptides are effector molecules of the innate immune system. We recently showed that the human anti-microbial peptidesa-defensin and LL-37 bind to glycos-aminoglycans (heparin and dermatan sulphate). Here we demonstrate the obverse, . structural motifs associated with heparin affinity (cationicity, amphipaticity, and con-sensus regions)may confer antimicrobial properties to a given peptide. Thus, heparin-binding peptides derived from laminin isoforms, von Willebrand factor, vitronectin, pro-tein C inhibitor, and fibronectin, exerted antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bac-teria. .
