Which structural feature of lipopeptide antibiotics is directly responsible for inserting into the bacterial membrane to create permeability defects?

• A. A hydrophobic (lipid) tail appended to a cyclic or linear peptide scaffold that intercalates into the lipid bilayer.
• B. A zinc-binding active site that catalyzes hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids in a metalloenzyme-like fashion.
• C. A charged polysaccharide moiety that binds DNA and promotes membrane depolarization through nucleic acid–membrane interactions.
• D. A carbohydrate-rich head group that disrupts transmembrane proteins by competitive inhibition of transporters embedded in the bilayer.

Answer: (A)