Fig. 6.

(A) Fluorescence microscopy of peptide-induced permeability of E. coli ML35p cells visualized by Syto9 and PI staining at 90 min. After 90 min, all the peptide-treated cells had increased membrane permeability, as seen by PI (red) fluorescence, except control cells without peptide treatment. On the other hand, Syto9 stained all the bacterial cells (live, dead, and membrane permeabilized) nonspecifically to give green fluorescence. Peptides were taken at their respective MICs. (B) Kinetics of PI uptake as studied by FACS for four peptides, VS1, VSL1, VS2, and VSD1, belonging to different series. The peptides were taken at their respective MICs. Cells without any peptide served as a control.