Antimicrobial peptides and viral fusion peptides: how different they are?

Similarly to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), viral fusion peptides (FPs) are membrane-active peptides. This minireview emphasizes the common properties of AMPs and FPs with a special focus on the intrinsic flexibility and structural adaptability of these peptides that are responsible for different mode of interaction with the membrane bilayers. The potential use of AMPs as multifunctional drugs with both antibacterial and antiviral properties is discussed.