BackgroundWe applied a combined experimental and computational approach to ascertain how peptides interact with host and microbial membrane surrogates, in order to validate simulation methodology we hope will enable the development of insights applicable to the design of novel antimicrobial peptides. We studied the interactions of two truncated versions of the potent, but cytotoxic, antimicrobial octadecapeptide protegrin-1, PC-72 [LCYCRRRFCVC] and PC-73 [CYCRRRFCVC].ResultsWe used a combination of FTIR, fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to examine the peptides' interactions with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles. The relative amounts of secondary structure determined by FTIR agreed with those from the simulations. Fluorescence spectroscopy, deuterium exchange experiments and the simulations all indicate that neither peptide embeds itself deeply into the micelle core. Although molecular simulations placed both peptides at the micelle-water interface, further examination revealed differences in how certain residues interacted with the micelle core.ConclusionWe demonstrate here the accuracy of molecular dynamics simulations methods through comparison with experiments, and have used the simulation results to enhance the understanding of how these two peptides interact with the two types of micelles. We find agreement between simulation and experimental results in the final structure of the peptides and in the peptides final conformation with respect to the micelle. Looking in depth at the peptide interactions, we find differences in the interactions between the two peptides from the simulation data; Leu-1 on PC-72 interacts strongly with the SDS micelle, though the interaction is not persistent – the residue withdraws and inserts into the micelle throughout the simulation.