Fluorescent Reporters for Antimicrobial Peptides

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a part of the natural defence against pathogens, have been considered as alternative antibiotics to combat the increase of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Given the advanced development of fluorescent probes, extensive research has been focussed on understanding the physiological processes of the interaction between AMPs and bacteria. To better guide the choice of suitable fluorescent reporters for the mechanism study of AMPs, in this review, we summarise a toolbox of commonly used fluorescent reporters for AMP studies, including intrinsic fluorescent reporters, conventional fluorophores, and recently developed aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogens.