ε-Poly-L-lysine (MW 3800-4200)

Epsilon-polylysine is an antimicrobial peptide that can be produced by bacteria such as Streptomyces. Epsilon-polylysine inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and molds and is therefore often used as a green food additive and preservative in various food and beverage products. Epsilon-polylysine has a variety of properties, including thermal stability, resistance to acidic conditions, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Epsilon-polylysine can be loaded on other materials to form nanoparticles or form nanofiber membranes for targeted delivery to exert sustained antibacterial efficacy. Epsilon-polylysine is also used as a liposome stabilizer[1][2][3][4].

[1]Wang Z, et al. Metabolomic Analysis of Biosynthesis Mechanism of ε-Polylysine Produced by Streptomyces diastatochromogenes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2021 Jul 30;9:698022. |[2]Zhou X, et al. Elaboration and characterization of ε-polylysine-sodium alginate nanoparticles for sustained antimicrobial activity. Int J Biol Macromol. 2023 Aug 16;251:126329. |[3]Yingying M, et al. pH-Sensitive ε-polylysine/polyaspartic acid/zein nanofiber membranes for the targeted release of polyphenols. Food Funct. 2022 Jun 20;13(12):6792-6801. |[4]Alemán A, et al. A novel functional wrapping design by complexation of ε-polylysine with liposomes entrapping bioactive peptides[J]. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 2016, 9: 1113-1124.