1
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Mourenza A, Ganesan R, Camarero JA. Resistance is futile: targeting multidrug-resistant bacteria with de novo Cys-rich cyclic polypeptides. RSC Chem Biol 2023; 4:722-735. [PMID: 37799576 PMCID: PMC10549238 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00015j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The search for novel antimicrobial agents to combat microbial pathogens is intensifying in response to rapid drug resistance development to current antibiotic therapeutics. The use of disulfide-rich head-to-tail cyclized polypeptides as molecular frameworks for designing a new type of peptide antibiotics is gaining increasing attention among the scientific community and the pharmaceutical industry. The use of macrocyclic peptides, further constrained by the presence of several disulfide bonds, makes these peptide frameworks remarkably more stable to thermal, biological, and chemical degradation showing better activities when compared to their linear analogs. Many of these novel peptide scaffolds have been shown to have a high tolerance to sequence variability in those residues not involved in disulfide bonds, able to cross biological membranes, and efficiently target complex biomolecular interactions. Hence, these unique properties make the use of these scaffolds ideal for many biotechnological applications, including the design of novel peptide antibiotics. This article provides an overview of the new developments in the use of several disulfide-rich cyclic polypeptides, including cyclotides, θ-defensins, and sunflower trypsin inhibitor peptides, among others, in the development of novel antimicrobial peptides against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Mourenza
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
| | - Rajasekaran Ganesan
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
| | - Julio A Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles CA90033 USA
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2
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Castellanos FX, Moreno-Santillán D, Hughes GM, Paulat NS, Sipperly N, Brown AM, Martin KR, Poterewicz GM, Lim MCW, Russell AL, Moore MS, Johnson MG, Corthals AP, Ray DA, Dávalos LM. The evolution of antimicrobial peptides in Chiroptera. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1250229. [PMID: 37822944 PMCID: PMC10562630 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1250229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
High viral tolerance coupled with an extraordinary regulation of the immune response makes bats a great model to study host-pathogen evolution. Although many immune-related gene gains and losses have been previously reported in bats, important gene families such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) remain understudied. We built an exhaustive bioinformatic pipeline targeting the major gene families of defensins and cathelicidins to explore AMP diversity and analyze their evolution and distribution across six bat families. A combination of manual and automated procedures identified 29 AMP families across queried species, with α-, β-defensins, and cathelicidins representing around 10% of AMP diversity. Gene duplications were inferred in both α-defensins, which were absent in five species, and three β-defensin gene subfamilies, but cathelicidins did not show significant shifts in gene family size and were absent in Anoura caudifer and the pteropodids. Based on lineage-specific gains and losses, we propose diet and diet-related microbiome evolution may determine the evolution of α- and β-defensins gene families and subfamilies. These results highlight the importance of building species-specific libraries for genome annotation in non-model organisms and shed light on possible drivers responsible for the rapid evolution of AMPs. By focusing on these understudied defenses, we provide a robust framework for explaining bat responses to pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diana Moreno-Santillán
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Graham M. Hughes
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nicole S. Paulat
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Nicolette Sipperly
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Alexis M. Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Katherine R. Martin
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Gregory M. Poterewicz
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Marisa C. W. Lim
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Amy L. Russell
- Department of Biology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, United States
| | - Marianne S. Moore
- College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, VI, United States
| | - Matthew G. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Angelique P. Corthals
- Department of Sciences, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, United States
| | - David A. Ray
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Liliana M. Dávalos
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
- Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
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3
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Mhlongo JT, Waddad AY, Albericio F, de la Torre BG. Antimicrobial Peptide Synergies for Fighting Infectious Diseases. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2300472. [PMID: 37407512 PMCID: PMC10502873 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential elements of thehost defense system. Characterized by heterogenous structures and broad-spectrumaction, they are promising candidates for combating multidrug resistance. Thecombined use of AMPs with other antimicrobial agents provides a new arsenal ofdrugs with synergistic action, thereby overcoming the drawback of monotherapiesduring infections. AMPs kill microbes via pore formation, thus inhibitingintracellular functions. This mechanism of action by AMPs is an advantage overantibiotics as it hinders the development of drug resistance. The synergisticeffect of AMPs will allow the repurposing of conventional antimicrobials andenhance their clinical outcomes, reduce toxicity, and, most significantly,prevent the development of resistance. In this review, various synergies ofAMPs with antimicrobials and miscellaneous agents are discussed. The effect ofstructural diversity and chemical modification on AMP properties is firstaddressed and then different combinations that can lead to synergistic action,whether this combination is between AMPs and antimicrobials, or AMPs andmiscellaneous compounds, are attended. This review can serve as guidance whenredesigning and repurposing the use of AMPs in combination with other antimicrobialagents for enhanced clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T. Mhlongo
- KwaZulu‐Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP)School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical SciencesCollege of Health SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurban4041South Africa
- Peptide Science LaboratorySchool of Chemistry and PhysicsUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalWestvilleDurban4000South Africa
| | - Ayman Y. Waddad
- Peptide Science LaboratorySchool of Chemistry and PhysicsUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalWestvilleDurban4000South Africa
| | - Fernando Albericio
- Peptide Science LaboratorySchool of Chemistry and PhysicsUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalWestvilleDurban4000South Africa
- CIBER‐BBNNetworking Centre on BioengineeringBiomaterials and Nanomedicineand Department of Organic ChemistryUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelona08028Spain
| | - Beatriz G. de la Torre
- KwaZulu‐Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP)School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical SciencesCollege of Health SciencesUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalDurban4041South Africa
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4
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Tyler TJ, Durek T, Craik DJ. Native and Engineered Cyclic Disulfide-Rich Peptides as Drug Leads. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28073189. [PMID: 37049950 PMCID: PMC10096437 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioactive peptides are a highly abundant and diverse group of molecules that exhibit a wide range of structural and functional variation. Despite their immense therapeutic potential, bioactive peptides have been traditionally perceived as poor drug candidates, largely due to intrinsic shortcomings that reflect their endogenous heritage, i.e., short biological half-lives and poor cell permeability. In this review, we examine the utility of molecular engineering to insert bioactive sequences into constrained scaffolds with desired pharmaceutical properties. Applying lessons learnt from nature, we focus on molecular grafting of cyclic disulfide-rich scaffolds (naturally derived or engineered), shown to be intrinsically stable and amenable to sequence modifications, and their utility as privileged frameworks in drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan J. Tyler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas Durek
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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5
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Chen C, Weil T. Cyclic polymers: synthesis, characteristics, and emerging applications. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2022; 7:1121-1135. [PMID: 35938292 DOI: 10.1039/d2nh00242f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cyclic polymers with a ring-like topology and no chain ends are a unique class of macromolecules. In the past several decades, significant advances have been made to prepare these fascinating polymers, which allow for the exploration of their topological effects and potential applications in various fields. In this Review, we first describe representative synthetic strategies for making cyclic polymers and their derivative topological polymers with more complex structures. Second, the unique physical properties and self-assembly behavior of cyclic polymers are discussed by comparing them with their linear analogues. Special attention is paid to highlight how polymeric rings can assemble into hierarchical macromolecular architectures. Subsequently, representative applications of cyclic polymers in different fields such as drug and gene delivery and surface functionalization are presented. Last, we envision the following key challenges and opportunities for cyclic polymers that may attract future attention: large-scale synthesis, efficient purification, programmable folding and assembly, and expansion of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaojian Chen
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
- Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Tanja Weil
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
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6
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Kremsmayr T, Aljnabi A, Blanco-Canosa JB, Tran HNT, Emidio NB, Muttenthaler M. On the Utility of Chemical Strategies to Improve Peptide Gut Stability. J Med Chem 2022; 65:6191-6206. [PMID: 35420805 PMCID: PMC9059125 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Inherent susceptibility
of peptides to enzymatic degradation in
the gastrointestinal tract is a key bottleneck in oral peptide drug
development. Here, we present a systematic analysis of (i) the gut
stability of disulfide-rich peptide scaffolds, orally administered
peptide therapeutics, and well-known neuropeptides and (ii) medicinal
chemistry strategies to improve peptide gut stability. Among a broad
range of studied peptides, cyclotides were the only scaffold class
to resist gastrointestinal degradation, even when grafted with non-native
sequences. Backbone cyclization, a frequently applied strategy, failed
to improve stability in intestinal fluid, but several site-specific
alterations proved efficient. This work furthermore highlights the
importance of standardized gut stability test conditions and suggests
defined protocols to facilitate cross-study comparison. Together,
our results provide a comparative overview and framework for the chemical
engineering of gut-stable peptides, which should be valuable for the
development of orally administered peptide therapeutics and molecular
probes targeting receptors within the gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kremsmayr
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 38, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Aws Aljnabi
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 38, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Juan B Blanco-Canosa
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Hue N T Tran
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Nayara Braga Emidio
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Markus Muttenthaler
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 38, Vienna 1090, Austria.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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7
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Alfano AI, Lange H, Brindisi M. Amide Bonds Meet Flow Chemistry: A Journey into Methodologies and Sustainable Evolution. CHEMSUSCHEM 2022; 15:e202102708. [PMID: 35015338 PMCID: PMC9304223 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202102708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Formation of amide bonds is of immanent importance in organic and synthetic medicinal chemistry. Its presence in "traditional" small-molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients, in linear or cyclic oligo- and polypeptidic actives, including pseudopeptides, has led to the development of dedicated synthetic approaches for the formation of amide bonds starting from, if necessary, suitably protected amino acids. While the use of solid supported reagents is common in traditional peptide synthesis, similar approaches targeting amide bond formation in continuous-flow mode took off more significantly, after a first publication in 2006, only a couple of years ago. Most efforts rely upon the transition of traditional approaches in flow mode, or the combination of solid-phase peptide synthesis principles with flow chemistry, and advantages are mainly seen in improving space-time yields. This Review summarizes and compares the various approaches in terms of basic amide formation, peptide synthesis, and pseudopeptide generation, describing the technological approaches and the advantages that were generated by the specific flow approaches. A final discussion highlights potential future needs and perspectives in terms of greener and more sustainable syntheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Ilenia Alfano
- SPOTS-Lab – Sustainable Pharmaceutical and Organic Technology and Synthesis LaboratoryUniversity of Naples ‘Federico II', Department of PharmacyVia Domenico Montesano 4980131NaplesItaly
| | - Heiko Lange
- University of Milano-Bicocca Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesPiazza della Scienza 120126MilanItaly
| | - Margherita Brindisi
- SPOTS-Lab – Sustainable Pharmaceutical and Organic Technology and Synthesis LaboratoryUniversity of Naples ‘Federico II', Department of PharmacyVia Domenico Montesano 4980131NaplesItaly
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8
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Gao X, Ding J, Liao C, Xu J, Liu X, Lu W. Defensins: The natural peptide antibiotic. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 179:114008. [PMID: 34673132 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Defensins are a family of cationic antimicrobial peptides active against a broad range of infectious microbes including bacteria, viruses and fungi, playing important roles as innate effectors and immune modulators in immunological control of microbial infection. Their antibacterial properties and unique mechanisms of action have garnered considerable interest in developing defensins into a novel class of natural antibiotic peptides to fend off pathogenic infection by bacteria, particularly those resistant to conventional antibiotics. However, serious pharmacological and technical obstacles, some of which are unique to defensins and others are common to peptide drugs in general, have hindered the development and clinical translation of defensins as anti-infective therapeutics. To overcome them, several technologies have been developed, aiming for improved functionality, prolonged circulation time, enhanced proteolytic stability and bioavailability, and efficient and controlled delivery and release of defensins to the site of infection. Additional challenges include the alleviation of potential toxicity of defensins and their cost-effective manufacturing. In this review, we briefly introduce defensin biology, focus on various transforming strategies and practical techniques developed for defensins and their derivatives as antibacterial therapeutics, and conclude with a summation of future challenges and possible solutions.
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9
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Clark RJ, Phan TH, Song A, Ouellette AJ, Conibear AC, Rosengren KJ. A conserved β‐bulge glycine residue facilitates folding and increases stability of the mouse α‐defensin cryptdin‐4. Pept Sci (Hoboken) 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pep2.24250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard J. Clark
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Thanh Huyen Phan
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Angela Song
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - André J. Ouellette
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
| | - Anne C. Conibear
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - K. Johan Rosengren
- The University of Queensland, School of Biomedical Sciences Brisbane Queensland Australia
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10
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Dekan Z, Kremsmayr T, Keov P, Godin M, Teakle N, Dürrauer L, Xiang H, Gharib D, Bergmayr C, Hellinger R, Gay M, Vilaseca M, Kurzbach D, Albericio F, Alewood PF, Gruber CW, Muttenthaler M. Nature-inspired dimerization as a strategy to modulate neuropeptide pharmacology exemplified with vasopressin and oxytocin. Chem Sci 2021; 12:4057-4062. [PMID: 34163676 PMCID: PMC8179488 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc05501h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) are cyclic neuropeptides that regulate fundamental physiological functions via four G protein-coupled receptors, V1aR, V1bR, V2R, and OTR. Ligand development remains challenging for these receptors due to complex structure–activity relationships. Here, we investigated dimerization as a strategy for developing ligands with novel pharmacology. We regioselectively synthesised and systematically studied parallel, antiparallel and N- to C-terminal cyclized homo- and heterodimer constructs of VP, OT and dVDAVP (1-deamino-4-valine-8-d-arginine-VP). All disulfide-linked dimers, except for the head-to-tail cyclized constructs, retained nanomolar potency despite the structural implications of dimerization. Our results support a single chain interaction for receptor activation. Dimer orientation had little impact on activity, except for the dVDAVP homodimers, where an antagonist to agonist switch was observed at the V1aR. This study provides novel insights into the structural requirements of VP/OT receptor activation and spotlights dimerization as a strategy to modulate pharmacology, a concept also frequently observed in nature. Structural and pharmacological study of parallel, antiparallel and N- to C-terminal cyclized homo- and heterodimers of vasopressin and oxytocin. This study spotlights dimerization as a strategy to modulate the pharmacology of neuropeptides.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltan Dekan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Brisbane 4072 Australia
| | - Thomas Kremsmayr
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna Währingerstraße 38 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Peter Keov
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland Brisbane 4072 Australia
| | - Mathilde Godin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Brisbane 4072 Australia
| | - Ngari Teakle
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Brisbane 4072 Australia
| | - Leopold Dürrauer
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna Währingerstraße 38 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Huang Xiang
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna Schwarzspanierstraße 17 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Dalia Gharib
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna Schwarzspanierstraße 17 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Christian Bergmayr
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna Schwarzspanierstraße 17 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Roland Hellinger
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna Schwarzspanierstraße 17 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Marina Gay
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine Barcelona C/ Baldiri Reixac 10 08028 Barcelona Spain
| | - Marta Vilaseca
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine Barcelona C/ Baldiri Reixac 10 08028 Barcelona Spain
| | - Dennis Kurzbach
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna Währingerstraße 38 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Fernando Albericio
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Barcelona Barcelona Science Park, Baldiri Reixac 10 08028 Barcelona Spain
| | - Paul F Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Brisbane 4072 Australia
| | - Christian W Gruber
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland Brisbane 4072 Australia.,Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna Schwarzspanierstraße 17 1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Markus Muttenthaler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Brisbane 4072 Australia .,Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna Währingerstraße 38 1090 Vienna Austria
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11
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de Veer SJ, White AM, Craik DJ. Sunflower Trypsin Inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1): Sowing Seeds in the Fields of Chemistry and Biology. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 60:8050-8071. [PMID: 32621554 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202006919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nature-derived cyclic peptides have proven to be a vast source of inspiration for advancing modern pharmaceutical design and synthetic chemistry. The focus of this Review is sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1), one of the smallest disulfide-bridged cyclic peptides found in nature. SFTI-1 has an unusual biosynthetic pathway that begins with a dual-purpose albumin precursor and ends with the production of a high-affinity serine protease inhibitor that rivals other inhibitors much larger in size. Investigations on the molecular basis for SFTI-1's rigid structure and adaptable function have planted seeds for thought that have now blossomed in several different fields. Here we survey these applications to highlight the growing potential of SFTI-1 as a versatile template for engineering inhibitors, a prototypic peptide for studying inhibitory mechanisms, a stable scaffold for grafting bioactive peptides, and a model peptide for evaluating peptidomimetic motifs and platform technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew M White
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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12
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Veer SJ, White AM, Craik DJ. Der Sonnenblumen‐Trypsin‐Inhibitor 1 (SFTI‐1) in der Chemie und Biologie. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202006919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon J. Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| | - Andrew M. White
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
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13
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Scapin S, Formaggio F, Glisenti A, Biondi B, Scocchi M, Benincasa M, Peggion C. Sustainable, Site-Specific Linkage of Antimicrobial Peptides to Cotton Textiles. Macromol Biosci 2020; 20:e2000199. [PMID: 32852141 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202000199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
A new general method to covalently link a peptide to cotton via thiazolidine ring formation is developed. Three different analogues of an ultrashort antibacterial peptide are synthesized to create an antibacterial fabric. The chemical ligation approach to the heterogeneous phase made up of insoluble cellulose fibers and a peptide solution in water is adapted. The selective click reaction occurs between an N-terminal cysteine on the peptide and an aldehyde on the cotton matrix. The aldehyde is generated on the primary alcohol of glucose by means of the enzyme laccase and the cocatalyst 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl. This keeps the pyranose rings intact and may bring a benefit to the mechanical properties of the fabric. The presence of the peptide on cotton is demonstrated through instant colorimetric tests, UV spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The antibacterial activity of the peptides is maintained even after their covalent attachment to cotton fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Scapin
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Fernando Formaggio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Antonella Glisenti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Barbara Biondi
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padova Unit, CNR, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Scocchi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 5, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Monica Benincasa
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 5, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Cristina Peggion
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
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14
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Chalichem NSS, Bethapudi B, Mundkinajeddu D. Aminoglycosides can be a better choice over macrolides in COVID-19 regimen: Plausible mechanism for repurposing strategy. Med Hypotheses 2020; 144:109984. [PMID: 32554149 PMCID: PMC7286248 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In the current COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing the immunity enhancers is equally important to anti-virals. Defensins are the forgotten molecules that enhance the innate immunity against various microbes. Although macrolides like azithromycin and clarithromycin etc., have been reported to act against respiratory infections but they lack the ability of immunity enhancement through defensins. The aminoglycosides were proved to have defensin mediated antiviral activity, that could enhance the immunity. So, Consideration of aminoglycosides can be a double edge sword viz., against respiratory infection as well as Immunity enhancer (along with anti-virals) for COVID-19 regimen.
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15
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Mulligan VK. The emerging role of computational design in peptide macrocycle drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 15:833-852. [PMID: 32345066 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1751117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Drug discovery is a laborious process with rising cost per new drug. Peptide macrocycles are promising therapeutics, though conformational flexibility can reduce target affinity and specificity. Recent computational advancements address this problem by enabling rational design of rigidly folded peptide macrocycles. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes currently approved peptide macrocycle therapeutics and discusses advantages of mesoscale drugs over small molecules or protein therapeutics. It describes the history, rationale, and state of the art of computational tools, such as Rosetta, that allow the design of rigidly structured peptide macrocycles. The emerging pipeline for designing peptide macrocycle drugs is described, including current challenges in designing permeable molecules that can emulate the chameleonic behavior of natural macrocycles. Prospects for reducing computational cost and improving accuracy with emerging computational technologies are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION To embrace computational design of peptide macrocycle drugs, we must shift current attitudes regarding the role of computation in drug discovery, and move beyond Lipinski's rules. This technology has the potential to shift failures to earlier in silico stages of the drug discovery process, improving success rates in costly clinical trials. Given the available tools, now is the time for drug developers to incorporate peptide macrocycle design into drug discovery pipelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram K Mulligan
- Systems Biology, Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute , New York, NY, USA
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16
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Haque FM, Grayson SM. The synthesis, properties and potential applications of cyclic polymers. Nat Chem 2020; 12:433-444. [DOI: 10.1038/s41557-020-0440-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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17
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Tombling BJ, Wang CK, Craik DJ. EGF‐artige und andere disulfidreiche Mikrodomänen als therapeutische Molekülgerüste. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201913809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J. Tombling
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| | - Conan K. Wang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australien
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18
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Tombling BJ, Wang CK, Craik DJ. EGF-like and Other Disulfide-rich Microdomains as Therapeutic Scaffolds. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:11218-11232. [PMID: 31867866 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201913809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Disulfide bonds typically introduce conformational constraints into peptides and proteins, conferring improved biopharmaceutical properties and greater therapeutic potential. In our opinion, disulfide-rich microdomains from proteins are potentially a rich and under-explored source of drug leads. A survey of the UniProt protein database shows that these domains are widely distributed throughout the plant and animal kingdoms, with the EGF-like domain being the most abundant of these domains. EGF-like domains exhibit large diversity in their disulfide bond topologies and calcium binding modes, which we classify in detail here. We found that many EGF-like domains are associated with disease phenotypes, and the interactions they mediate are potential therapeutic targets. Indeed, EGF-based therapeutic leads have been identified, and we further propose that these domains can be optimized to expand their therapeutic potential using chemical design strategies. This Review highlights the potential of disulfide-rich microdomains as future peptide therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Tombling
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Conan K Wang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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19
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Inhibitory Activity of a Scorpion Defensin BmKDfsin3 against Hepatitis C Virus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:antibiotics9010033. [PMID: 31963532 PMCID: PMC7168052 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9010033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major worldwide health problem which can cause chronic hepatitis, liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There is still no vaccine to prevent HCV infection. Currently, the clinical treatment of HCV infection mainly relies on the use of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) which are expensive and have side effects. Here, BmKDfsin3, a scorpion defensin from the venom of Mesobuthus martensii Karsch, is found to dose-dependently inhibit HCV infection at noncytotoxic concentrations and affect viral attachment and post-entry in HCV life cycle. Further experimental results show that BmKDfsin3 not only suppresses p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation of HCV-infected Huh7.5.1 cells, but also inhibits p38 activation of Huh7.5.1 cells stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). BmKDfsin3 is also revealed to enter into cells. Using an upstream MyD88 dimerization inhibitor ST2345 or kinase IRAK-1/4 inhibitor I, the inhibition of p38 activation represses HCV replication in vitro. Taken together, a scorpion defensin BmKDfsin3 inhibits HCV replication, related to regulated p38 MAPK activation.
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20
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Deplazes E, Chin YKY, King GF, Mancera RL. The unusual conformation of cross-strand disulfide bonds is critical to the stability of β-hairpin peptides. Proteins 2019; 88:485-502. [PMID: 31589791 DOI: 10.1002/prot.25828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The cross-strand disulfides (CSDs) found in β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides (β-AMPs) show a unique disulfide geometry that is characterized by unusual torsion angles and a short Cα-Cα distance. While the sequence and disulfide bond connectivity of disulfide-rich peptides is well studied, much less is known about the disulfide geometry found in CSDs and their role in the stability of β-AMPs. To address this, we solved the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of the β-AMP gomesin (Gm) at 278, 298, and 310 K, examined the disulfide bond geometry of over 800 disulfide-rich peptides, and carried out extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the peptides Gm and protegrin. The NMR data suggests Cα-Cα distances characteristic for CSDs are independent of temperature. Analysis of disulfide-rich peptides from the Protein Data Bank revealed that right-handed and left-handed rotamers are equally likely in CSDs. The previously reported preference for right-handed rotamers was likely biased by restricting the analysis to peptides and proteins solved using X-ray crystallography. Furthermore, data from MD simulations showed that the short Cα-Cα distance is critical for the stability of these peptides. The unique disulfide geometry of CSDs poses a challenge to biomolecular force fields and to retain the stability of β-hairpin fold over long simulation times, restraints on the torsion angles might be required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyne Deplazes
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute and Curtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Yanni K-Y Chin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ricardo L Mancera
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute and Curtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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21
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Amerikova M, Pencheva El-Tibi I, Maslarska V, Bozhanov S, Tachkov K. Antimicrobial activity, mechanism of action, and methods for stabilisation of defensins as new therapeutic agents. BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2019.1611385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Meri Amerikova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivanka Pencheva El-Tibi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Vania Maslarska
- Department of Chemistry Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Stanislav Bozhanov
- Department of Chemistry Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Konstantin Tachkov
- Department of Social Pharmacy Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
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22
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Schmidt M, Huang YH, Texeira de Oliveira EF, Toplak A, Wijma HJ, Janssen DB, van Maarseveen JH, Craik DJ, Nuijens T. Efficient Enzymatic Cyclization of Disulfide-Rich Peptides by Using Peptide Ligases. Chembiochem 2019; 20:1524-1529. [PMID: 30735312 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Disulfide-rich macrocyclic peptides-cyclotides, for example-represent a promising class of molecules with potential therapeutic use. Despite their potential their efficient synthesis at large scale still represents a major challenge. Here we report new chemoenzymatic strategies using peptide ligase variants-inter alia, omniligase-1-for the efficient and scalable one-pot cyclization and folding of the native cyclotides MCoTI-II, kalata B1 and variants thereof, as well as of the θ-defensin RTD-1. The synthesis of the kB1 variant T20K was successfully demonstrated at multi-gram scale. The existence of several ligation sites for each macrocycle makes this approach highly flexible and facilitates both the larger-scale manufacture and the engineering of bioactive, grafted cyclotide variants, therefore clearly offering a valuable and powerful extension of the existing toolbox of enzymes for peptide head-to-tail cyclization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Schmidt
- EnzyPep B.V., Brightlands Campus, Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD, Geleen, The Netherlands.,Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Eduardo F Texeira de Oliveira
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ana Toplak
- EnzyPep B.V., Brightlands Campus, Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD, Geleen, The Netherlands
| | - Hein J Wijma
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Dick B Janssen
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H van Maarseveen
- Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Timo Nuijens
- EnzyPep B.V., Brightlands Campus, Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD, Geleen, The Netherlands
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23
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Papain-like cysteine proteases prepare plant cyclic peptide precursors for cyclization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:7831-7836. [PMID: 30944220 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901807116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclotides are plant defense peptides that have been extensively investigated for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications, but key details of their posttranslational biosynthesis have remained elusive. Asparaginyl endopeptidases are crucial in the final stage of the head-to-tail cyclization reaction, but the enzyme(s) involved in the prerequisite steps of N-terminal proteolytic release were unknown until now. Here we use activity-guided fractionation to identify specific members of papain-like cysteine proteases involved in the N-terminal cleavage of cyclotide precursors. Through both characterization of recombinantly produced enzymes and in planta peptide cyclization assays, we define the molecular basis of the substrate requirements of these enzymes, including the prototypic member, here termed kalatase A. The findings reported here will pave the way for improving the efficiency of plant biofactory approaches for heterologous production of cyclotide analogs of therapeutic or agricultural value.
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24
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Using backbone-cyclized Cys-rich polypeptides as molecular scaffolds to target protein-protein interactions. Biochem J 2019; 476:67-83. [PMID: 30635453 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The use of disulfide-rich backbone-cyclized polypeptides, as molecular scaffolds to design a new generation of bioimaging tools and drugs that are potent and specific, and thus might have fewer side effects than traditional small-molecule drugs, is gaining increasing interest among the scientific and in the pharmaceutical industries. Highly constrained macrocyclic polypeptides are exceptionally more stable to chemical, thermal and biological degradation and show better biological activity when compared with their linear counterparts. Many of these relatively new scaffolds have been also found to be highly tolerant to sequence variability, aside from the conserved residues forming the disulfide bonds, able to cross cellular membranes and modulate intracellular protein-protein interactions both in vitro and in vivo These properties make them ideal tools for many biotechnological applications. The present study provides an overview of the new developments on the use of several disulfide-rich backbone-cyclized polypeptides, including cyclotides, θ-defensins and sunflower trypsin inhibitor peptides, in the development of novel bioimaging reagents and therapeutic leads.
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25
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A structural perspective of plant antimicrobial peptides. Biochem J 2018; 475:3359-3375. [PMID: 30413680 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Among the numerous strategies plants have developed to fend off enemy attack, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) stand out as one of the most prominent defensive barriers that grant direct and durable resistance against a wide range of pests and pathogens. These small proteins are characterized by a compact structure and an overall positive charge. AMPs have an ancient origin and widespread occurrence in the plant kingdom but show an unusually high degree of variation in their amino acid sequences. Interestingly, there is a strikingly conserved topology among the plant AMP families, suggesting that the defensive properties of these peptides are not determined by their primary sequences but rather by their tridimensional structure. To explore and expand this idea, we here discuss the role of AMPs for plant defense from a structural perspective. We show how specific structural properties, such as length, charge, hydrophobicity, polar angle and conformation, are essential for plant AMPs to act as a chemical shield that hinders enemy attack. Knowledge on the topology of these peptides is facilitating the isolation, classification and even structural redesign of AMPs, thus allowing scientists to develop new peptides with multiple agronomical and pharmacological potential.
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26
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Fang GM, Chen XX, Yang QQ, Zhu LJ, Li NN, Yu HZ, Meng XM. Discovery, structure, and chemical synthesis of disulfide-rich peptide toxins and their analogs. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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27
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Fungicidal Potency and Mechanisms of θ-Defensins against Multidrug-Resistant Candida Species. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.00111-18. [PMID: 29610196 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00111-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic candidiasis is a growing health care concern that is becoming even more challenging due to the growing frequency of infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Candida species. Thus, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic approaches to candidiasis, including strategies bioinspired by insights into natural host defense against fungal pathogens. The antifungal properties of θ-defensins, macrocyclic peptides expressed in tissues of Old World monkeys, were investigated against a panel of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant clinical isolates of Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida species. Rhesus θ-defensin 1 (RTD-1), the prototype θ-defensin, was rapidly and potently fungicidal against drug-sensitive and MDR C. albicans strains. Fungal killing occurred by cell permeabilization that was temporally correlated with ATP release and intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Killing by RTD-1 was compared with that by histatin 5 (Hst 5), an extensively characterized anticandidal peptide expressed in human saliva. RTD-1 killed C. albicans much more rapidly and at a >200-fold lower concentration than that of Hst 5. Unlike Hst 5, the anticandidal activity of RTD-1 was independent of mitochondrial ATP production. Moreover, RTD-1 was completely resistant to Candida proteases for 2 h under conditions that rapidly and completely degraded Hst 5. MICs and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of 14 natural θ-defensins isoforms against drug-resistant C. albicans isolates identified peptides that are more active than amphotericin B and/or caspofungin against fluconazole-resistant organisms, including MDR Candida auris. These results point to the potential of macrocyclic θ-defensins as structural templates for the design of antifungal therapeutics.
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28
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Wu CY, Lo LH, Su H, Shiea J. Detection of α–defensin in blister fluids as potential biomarkers for bullous pemphigoid patients by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Clin Chim Acta 2018; 479:212-218. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2018.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Revised: 12/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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29
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The Road from Host-Defense Peptides to a New Generation of Antimicrobial Drugs. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23020311. [PMID: 29389911 PMCID: PMC6017364 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23020311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Host-defense peptides, also called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), whose protective action has been used by animals for millions of years, fulfill many requirements of the pharmaceutical industry, such as: (1) broad spectrum of activity; (2) unlike classic antibiotics, they induce very little resistance; (3) they act synergically with conventional antibiotics; (4) they neutralize endotoxins and are active in animal models. However, it is considered that many natural peptides are not suitable for drug development due to stability and biodisponibility problems, or high production costs. This review describes the efforts to overcome these problems and develop new antimicrobial drugs from these peptides or inspired by them. The discovery process of natural AMPs is discussed, as well as the development of synthetic analogs with improved pharmacological properties. The production of these compounds at acceptable costs, using different chemical and biotechnological methods, is also commented. Once these challenges are overcome, a new generation of versatile, potent and long-lasting antimicrobial drugs is expected.
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30
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Zheng Y, Meng X, Wu Y, Zhao Y, Wu C. De novo design of constrained and sequence-independent peptide scaffolds with topologically-formidable disulfide connectivities. Chem Sci 2018; 9:569-575. [PMID: 29629120 PMCID: PMC5869988 DOI: 10.1039/c7sc03956e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Disulfide-rich peptides are interesting scaffolds for drug design and discovery. However, peptide scaffolds constrained by disulfide bonds, either naturally occurring or computationally designed, have been suffering from the elusive (oxidative) folding behavior complying with Anfinsen's dogma, which strongly restricts their applicability in bioactive peptide design and discovery; because when primary peptide sequences are extensively manipulated, their disulfide connectivities might become scrambled. Here we present the design of cysteine/penicillamine (C/Pen)-mixed peptide frameworks that are capable of folding into specific regioisomers without dependence on primary amino acid sequences. Even certain folds that are considered to be topologically formidable can be generated in high yields. Currently, almost all disulfide-rich peptide scaffolds are vitally correlated to primary amino acid sequences, but ours are exceptional. These scaffolds should be of particular interest for further designing constrained peptides with new structures and functions, and more importantly, the ultimately designed peptides would not suffer from general oxidative folding problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwu Zheng
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P. R. China .
| | - Xiaoting Meng
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P. R. China .
| | - Yaqi Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P. R. China .
| | - Yibing Zhao
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P. R. China .
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P. R. China .
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31
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Di Bonaventura I, Jin X, Visini R, Probst D, Javor S, Gan BH, Michaud G, Natalello A, Doglia SM, Köhler T, van Delden C, Stocker A, Darbre T, Reymond JL. Chemical space guided discovery of antimicrobial bridged bicyclic peptides against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its biofilms. Chem Sci 2017; 8:6784-6798. [PMID: 29147502 PMCID: PMC5643981 DOI: 10.1039/c7sc01314k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein we report the discovery of antimicrobial bridged bicyclic peptides (AMBPs) active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a highly problematic Gram negative bacterium in the hospital environment. Two of these AMBPs show strong biofilm inhibition and dispersal activity and enhance the activity of polymyxin, currently a last resort antibiotic against which resistance is emerging. To discover our AMBPs we used the concept of chemical space, which is well known in the area of small molecule drug discovery, to define a small number of test compounds for synthesis and experimental evaluation. Our chemical space was calculated using 2DP, a new topological shape and pharmacophore fingerprint for peptides. This method provides a general strategy to search for bioactive peptides with unusual topologies and expand the structural diversity of peptide-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Di Bonaventura
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Xian Jin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Ricardo Visini
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Daniel Probst
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Sacha Javor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Bee-Ha Gan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Gaëlle Michaud
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Antonino Natalello
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences , University of Milano-Bicocca , Piazza della Scienza 2 , 20126 Milan , Italy
| | - Silvia Maria Doglia
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences , University of Milano-Bicocca , Piazza della Scienza 2 , 20126 Milan , Italy
| | - Thilo Köhler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine , University of Geneva, and Service of Infectious Diseases , University Hospital of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Christian van Delden
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine , University of Geneva, and Service of Infectious Diseases , University Hospital of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Achim Stocker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Tamis Darbre
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
| | - Jean-Louis Reymond
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3 , 3012 Bern , Switzerland .
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32
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Troeira Henriques S, Lawrence N, Chaousis S, Ravipati AS, Cheneval O, Benfield AH, Elliott AG, Kavanagh AM, Cooper MA, Chan LY, Huang YH, Craik DJ. Redesigned Spider Peptide with Improved Antimicrobial and Anticancer Properties. ACS Chem Biol 2017; 12:2324-2334. [PMID: 28741926 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Gomesin, a disulfide-rich antimicrobial peptide produced by the Brazilian spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana, has been shown to be potent against Gram-negative bacteria and to possess selective anticancer properties against melanoma cells. In a recent study, a backbone cyclized analogue of gomesin was shown to be as active but more stable than its native form. In the current study, we were interested in improving the antimicrobial properties of the cyclic gomesin, understanding its selectivity toward melanoma cells and elucidating its antimicrobial and anticancer mode of action. Rationally designed analogues of cyclic gomesin were examined for their antimicrobial potency, selectivity toward cancer cells, membrane-binding affinity, and ability to disrupt cell and model membranes. We improved the activity of cyclic gomesin by ∼10-fold against tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria without increasing toxicity to human red blood cells. In addition, we showed that gomesin and its analogues are more toxic toward melanoma and leukemia cells than toward red blood cells and act by selectively targeting and disrupting cancer cell membranes. Preference toward some cancer types is likely dependent on their different cell membrane properties. Our findings highlight the potential of peptides as antimicrobial and anticancer leads and the importance of selectively targeting cancer cell membranes for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sónia Troeira Henriques
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Nicole Lawrence
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Stephanie Chaousis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Anjaneya S. Ravipati
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Olivier Cheneval
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Aurélie H. Benfield
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alysha G. Elliott
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Angela Maria Kavanagh
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Matthew A. Cooper
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Lai Yue Chan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Wu X, Huang YH, Kaas Q, Harvey PJ, Wang CK, Tae HS, Adams DJ, Craik DJ. Backbone cyclization of analgesic conotoxin GeXIVA facilitates direct folding of the ribbon isomer. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:17101-17112. [PMID: 28851841 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.808386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Conotoxin GeXIVA inhibits the α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and is analgesic in animal models of pain. α-Conotoxins have four cysteines that can have three possible disulfide connectivities: globular (CysI-CysIII and CysII-CysIV), ribbon (CysI-CysIV and CysII-CysIII), or bead (CysI-CysII and CysIII-CysIV). Native α-conotoxins preferably adopt the globular connectivity, and previous studies of α-conotoxins have focused on the globular isomers as the ribbon and bead isomers typically have lower potency at nAChRs than the globular form. A recent report showed that the bead and ribbon isomers of GeXIVA are more potent than the globular isomer, with low nanomolar half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50). Despite this high potency, the therapeutic potential of GeXIVA is limited, because like most peptides, it is susceptible to proteolytic degradation and is challenging to synthesize in high yield. Here we used backbone cyclization as a strategy to improve the folding yield as well as increase the serum stability of ribbon GeXIVA while preserving activity at the α9α10 nAChR. Specifically, cyclization of ribbon GeXIVA with a two-residue linker maintained the biological activity at the human α9α10 nAChR and improved stability in human serum. Short linkers led to selective formation of the ribbon disulfide isomer without requiring orthogonal protection. Overall, this study highlights the value of backbone cyclization in directing folding, improving yields, and stabilizing conotoxins with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosa Wu
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia and
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia and
| | - Quentin Kaas
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia and
| | - Peta J Harvey
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia and
| | - Conan K Wang
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia and
| | - Han-Shen Tae
- the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - David J Adams
- the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- From the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia and
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The Role of Defensins in HIV Pathogenesis. Mediators Inflamm 2017; 2017:5186904. [PMID: 28839349 PMCID: PMC5559915 DOI: 10.1155/2017/5186904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Profound loss of CD4+ T cells, progressive impairment of the immune system, inflammation, and sustained immune activation are the characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection. Innate immune responses respond immediately from the day of HIV infection, and a thorough understanding of the interaction between several innate immune cells and HIV-1 is essential to determine to what extent those cells play a crucial role in controlling HIV-1 in vivo. Defensins, divided into the three subfamilies α-, β-, and θ-defensins based on structure and disulfide linkages, comprise a critical component of the innate immune response and exhibit anti-HIV-1 activities and immunomodulatory capabilities. In humans, only α- and β-defensins are expressed in various tissues and have broad impacts on HIV-1 transmission, replication, and disease progression. θ-defensins have been identified as functional peptides in Old World monkeys, but not in humans. Instead, θ-defensins exist only as pseudogenes in humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. The use of the synthetic θ-defensin peptide “retrocyclin” as an antiviral therapy was shown to be promising, and further research into the development of defensin-based HIV-1 therapeutics is needed. This review focuses on the role of defensins in HIV-1 pathogenesis and highlights future research efforts that warrant investigation.
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Cyclic Peptides as Novel Therapeutic Microbicides: Engineering of Human Defensin Mimetics. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22071217. [PMID: 28726740 PMCID: PMC6152268 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22071217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic peptides are receiving significant attention thanks to their antimicrobial activity and high serum stability, which is useful to develop and design novel antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial peptides appear to be key components of innate defences against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Among the others, defensins possess a strong microbicidial activity. Defensins are cationic and amphipathic peptides with six cysteine residues connected by three disulfide bonds found in plants, insects, and mammals; they are divided in three families: α-, β-, and θ-defensins. α-Defensins are contained in the primary granules of human neutrophils; β-defensins are expressed in human epithelia; and θ-defensins are pseudo-cyclic defensins not found in humans, but in rhesus macaques. The structural diversities among the three families are reflected in a different antimicrobial action as well as in serum stability. The engineering of these peptides is an exciting opportunity to obtain more functional antimicrobial molecules highlighting their potential as therapeutic agents. The present review reports the most recent advances in the field of cyclic peptides with a specific regard to defensin analogs.
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Zheng Y, Li Z, Ren J, Liu W, Wu Y, Zhao Y, Wu C. Artificial disulfide-rich peptide scaffolds with precisely defined disulfide patterns and a minimized number of isomers. Chem Sci 2017; 8:2547-2552. [PMID: 28553486 PMCID: PMC5431680 DOI: 10.1039/c6sc05710a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Disulfide-rich peptides are emerging as potential templates for drug design applications. However, the synthesis and reengineering of disulfide-rich peptides are challenging, owing to the complexity of the oxidative folding process involving a number of diverse isomeric structures. Novel disulfide-rich peptide scaffolds that are not besieged by their disulfide isomers are still greatly desired. In this work, we report the design and synthesis of a novel class of artificial disulfide-rich peptide scaffolds with precisely defined disulfide patterns and a minimized number of isomers. In theory, natural peptides with three disulfide bonds have 15 possible isomers. By rationally engineering the thiol-framework of a peptide containing six cysteines with penicillamines and a dithiol amino acid, we demonstrated, for the first time, that the total number of isomers formed after oxidative folding can be decreased to a minimum of two (i.e., from 15 to 2). As fewer isomeric folds are involved in the oxidative folding, the pathway of the folding becomes more concise and the yield of the artificial scaffolds is substantially increased compared to that of its six-cysteine-containing analogue, which makes the artificial disulfide-rich scaffolds (with only 2 predefined isomeric folds) extremely promising for being exploited as structurally complex templates for the design of peptide therapeutics and ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwu Zheng
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P.R. China .
| | - Zhuoru Li
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P.R. China .
| | - Jing Ren
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P.R. China .
| | - Weidong Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P.R. China .
| | - Yaqi Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P.R. China .
| | - Yibing Zhao
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P.R. China .
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation , State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials , Department of Chemistry , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , Xiamen , 361005 , P.R. China .
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Liu W, Zheng Y, Kong X, Heinis C, Zhao Y, Wu C. Precisely Regulated and Efficient Locking of Linear Peptides into Stable Multicyclic Topologies through a One-Pot Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017; 56:4458-4463. [PMID: 28240444 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201610942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We report the discovery of a small phenyl molecule with four isosteric thiolate-reactive groups of sequentially varied reactivity. This molecule was exploited in combination with cysteine/penicillamine thiolates of different nucleophilic reactivity for precisely regulated and efficient locking (PROP-locking) of linear peptides into multicyclic topologies through a one-pot reaction. The PROP-locking relies on multistep and sequential thiolate/fluorine nucleophilic substitutions, which is not only rapid but highly specific, thus enabling rapid locking of peptides with high amino acid diversities without protecting groups. Several tricyclic peptide templates and bioactive peptides were designed and synthesized using the PROP-locking strategy. We believe that tricyclic peptides precisely locked through stable thioether bonds should be promising structurally constrained scaffolds for developing potential therapeutics and target ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weidong Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China
| | - Yiwu Zheng
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China
| | - Xudong Kong
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christian Heinis
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yibing Zhao
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P.R. China
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38
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Liu W, Zheng Y, Kong X, Heinis C, Zhao Y, Wu C. Precisely Regulated and Efficient Locking of Linear Peptides into Stable Multicyclic Topologies through a One-Pot Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201610942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Weidong Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation; State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials; Department of Chemistry; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Xiamen University; Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Yiwu Zheng
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation; State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials; Department of Chemistry; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Xiamen University; Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Xudong Kong
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering; Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne; 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Christian Heinis
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering; Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne; 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Yibing Zhao
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation; State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials; Department of Chemistry; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Xiamen University; Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation; State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials; Department of Chemistry; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Xiamen University; Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
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39
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Strzelecka P, Czaplinska D, Sadej R, Wardowska A, Pikula M, Lesner A. Simplified, serine-rich theta-defensin analogues as antitumour peptides. Chem Biol Drug Des 2017; 90:52-63. [PMID: 28004513 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.12927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
θ-defensins belong to the family of host defence peptides. They are the only known example of cyclic polypeptides in animal proteomes. This study presents the synthesis of simplified θ-defensin analogues with pairs of cysteine replaced either by alanine, leucine or serine residues. Cytotoxicity tests were performed on human mammary epithelial (HB2) and breast cancer (SKBR3, MDA-MB-231) cell lines to determine whether peptides are selectively targeting cancer cells. The effect of these peptides was also evaluated in 3D Matrigel cultures, which are based on extracellular matrix components and therefore closely represent in vivo conditions. Finally, to determine whether analogues are able to sensitize MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells to chemotherapeutics, we co-administrated peptides with cisplatin or doxorubicin hydrochloride also in 3D Matrigel cultures. Additionally, cytotoxicity towards peripheral blood mononuclear cells and haemolytic effect were examined for a chosen representative of synthesized compounds. The results showed that positively charged serine-containing θ-defensin derivatives were more cytotoxic towards breast cancer cells (SKBR3, MDA-MB-231) than towards mammary epithelial cells (HB2). Analogues enhanced the effect of cisplatin and doxorubicin hydrochloride on triple-negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231).
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Strzelecka
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dominika Czaplinska
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Rafal Sadej
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Anna Wardowska
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Michal Pikula
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Adam Lesner
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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41
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Endogenous antimicrobial factors in the treatment of infectious diseases. Cent Eur J Immunol 2017; 41:419-425. [PMID: 28450805 PMCID: PMC5382887 DOI: 10.5114/ceji.2016.65141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, a number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains is increasing. It is a serious clinical problem and poses a threat to the effectiveness of conventional antibiotic therapy. Thus, scientists are constantly seeking new alternatives for treatment of infectious diseases. There are some natural endogenous factors, which possess antimicrobial activities against a large number of microorganisms, including both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, viruses and fungi. These factors are present in all eukaryotic organisms and constitute an essential element of their immune system. A large number of in vitro and in vivo models have been used to show the activity of antimicrobial factors, and only few studies have been conducted on people. Results indicate that administration of these molecules is therapeutically beneficial. This review summarizes knowledge of selected endogenous antimicrobial agents, such as cathelicidins, defensins, histatins, lysozyme and lactoferrin. We also discuss potential uses of these factors in the treatment of infectious diseases.
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42
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Terrier VP, Delmas AF, Aucagne V. Efficient synthesis of cysteine-rich cyclic peptides through intramolecular native chemical ligation of N-Hnb-Cys peptide crypto-thioesters. Org Biomol Chem 2017; 15:316-319. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ob02546c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
We herein introduce a straightforward synthetic route to cysteine-containing cyclic peptides. It is based on the intramolecular native chemical ligation of thioesters generated in situ from N-Hnb-Cys crypto-thioesters. The strategy is applied to a representative range of natural cyclic disulfide-rich peptide sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor P. Terrier
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire
- CNRS UPR 4301
- 45071 Orléans Cedex 2
- France
| | - Agnès F. Delmas
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire
- CNRS UPR 4301
- 45071 Orléans Cedex 2
- France
| | - Vincent Aucagne
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire
- CNRS UPR 4301
- 45071 Orléans Cedex 2
- France
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Leenheer D, ten Dijke P, Hipolito CJ. A current perspective on applications of macrocyclic-peptide-based high-affinity ligands. Biopolymers 2016; 106:889-900. [PMID: 27352774 PMCID: PMC5132055 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies can bind with high affinity and high selectivity to their targets. As a tool in therapeutics or diagnostics, however, their large size (∼150 kDa) reduces penetration into tissue and prevents passive cellular uptake. To overcome these and other problems, minimized protein scaffolds have been chosen or engineered, with care taken to not compromise binding affinity or specificity. An alternate approach is to begin with a minimal non-antibody scaffold and select functional ligands from a de novo library. We will discuss the structure, production, applications, strengths, and weaknesses of several classes of antibody-derived ligands, that is, antibodies, intrabodies, and nanobodies, and nonantibody-derived ligands, that is, monobodies, affibodies, and macrocyclic peptides. In particular, this review is focussed on macrocyclic peptides produced by the Random non-standard Peptides Integrated Discovery (RaPID) system that are small in size (typically ∼2 kDa), but are able to perform tasks typically handled by larger proteinaceous ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniël Leenheer
- Ph.D. Program in Human Biology, School of Integrative and Global MajorsUniversity of TsukubaTsukubaIbarakiJapan
| | - Peter ten Dijke
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Molecular Cell BiologyLeidenSouth HollandThe Netherlands
- Cancer Signaling, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, University of TsukubaTsukubaIbarakiJapan
| | - Christopher John Hipolito
- Cancer Signaling, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, University of TsukubaTsukubaIbarakiJapan
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Defensins: The Case for Their Use against Mycobacterial Infections. J Immunol Res 2016; 2016:7515687. [PMID: 27725944 PMCID: PMC5048032 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7515687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human tuberculosis remains a huge global public health problem with an estimated 1/3rd of the population being infected. Defensins are antibacterial cationic peptides produced by a number of cell types, most notably neutrophil granulocytes and epithelial cells. All three defensin types (α-, β-, and θ-defensins) have antibacterial activities, mainly through bacterial membrane permeabilization. Defensins are effective against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria including mycobacteria and are active both intra- and extracellularly. Mycobacterial resistance has never been demonstrated although the mprF gene encoding resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is present in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome. In addition to their antibacterial effect, defensins are chemoattractants for macrophages and neutrophils. There are many cases for their use for therapy or prophylaxis in tuberculosis as well. In conclusion, we propose that there is considerable scope and potential for exploring their use as therapeutic/prophylactic agents and more comprehensive survey of defensins from different species and their bioactivity is timely.
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Thermodynamic instability of viral proteins is a pathogen-associated molecular pattern targeted by human defensins. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32499. [PMID: 27581352 PMCID: PMC5007486 DOI: 10.1038/srep32499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Human defensins are innate immune defense peptides with a remarkably broad repertoire of anti-pathogen activities. In addition to modulating immune response, inflammation, and angiogenesis, disintegrating bacterial membranes, and inactivating bacterial toxins, defensins are known to intercept various viruses at different stages of their life cycles, while remaining relatively benign towards human cells and proteins. Recently we have found that human defensins inactivate proteinaceous bacterial toxins by taking advantage of their low thermodynamic stability and acting as natural “anti-chaperones”, i.e. destabilizing the native conformation of the toxins. In the present study we tested various proteins produced by several viruses (HIV-1, PFV, and TEV) and found them to be susceptible to destabilizing effects of human α-defensins HNP-1 and HD-5 and the synthetic θ-defensin RC-101, but not β-defensins hBD-1 and hBD-2 or structurally related plant-derived peptides. Defensin-induced unfolding promoted exposure of hydrophobic groups otherwise confined to the core of the viral proteins. This resulted in precipitation, an enhanced susceptibility to proteolytic cleavage, and a loss of viral protein activities. We propose, that defensins recognize and target a common and essential physico-chemical property shared by many bacterial toxins and viral proteins – the intrinsically low thermodynamic protein stability.
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47
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Wu X, Huang Y, Kaas Q, Craik DJ. Cyclisation of Disulfide‐Rich Conotoxins in Drug Design Applications. European J Org Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201600402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosa Wu
- Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of Queensland306 Carmody Road (Building 80)4072BrisbaneAustralia
| | - Yen‐Hua Huang
- Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of Queensland306 Carmody Road (Building 80)4072BrisbaneAustralia
| | - Quentin Kaas
- Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of Queensland306 Carmody Road (Building 80)4072BrisbaneAustralia
| | - David J. Craik
- Institute for Molecular BioscienceThe University of Queensland306 Carmody Road (Building 80)4072BrisbaneAustralia
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Comparative Analysis of the Antimicrobial Activities of Plant Defensin-Like and Ultrashort Peptides against Food-Spoiling Bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:4288-4298. [PMID: 27208129 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00558-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Antimicrobial peptides offer potential as novel therapeutics to combat food spoilage and poisoning caused by pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria. Our previous studies identified the peptide human beta-defensin 3 (HBD3) as a potent antimicrobial agent against a wide range of beer-spoiling bacteria. Thus, HBD3 is an excellent candidate for development as an additive to prevent food and beverage spoilage. To expand the repertoire of peptides with antimicrobial activity against bacteria associated with food spoilage and/or food poisoning, we carried out an in silico discovery pipeline to identify peptides with structure and activity similar to those of HBD3, focusing on peptides of plant origin. Using a standardized assay, we compared the antimicrobial activities of nine defensin-like plant peptides to the activity of HBD3. Only two of the peptides, fabatin-2 and Cp-thionin-2, displayed antimicrobial activity; however, the peptides differed from HBD3 in being sensitive to salt and were thermostable. We also compared the activities of several ultrashort peptides to that of HBD3. One of the peptides, the synthetic tetrapeptide O3TR, displayed biphasic antimicrobial activity but had a narrower host range than HBD3. Finally, to determine if the peptides might act in concert to improve antimicrobial activity, we compared the activities of the peptides in pairwise combinations. The plant defensin-like peptides fabatin-2 and Cp-thionin-2 displayed a synergistic effect with HBD3, while O3TR was antagonistic. Thus, some plant defensin-like peptides are effective antimicrobials and may act in concert with HBD3 to control bacteria associated with food spoilage and food poisoning. IMPORTANCE Food spoilage and food poisoning caused by bacteria can have major health and economic implications for human society. With the rise in resistance to conventional antibiotics, there is a need to identify new antimicrobials to combat these outbreaks in our food supply. Here we screened plant peptide databases to identify peptides that share structural similarity with the human defensin peptide HBD3, which has known antimicrobial activity against food-spoiling bacteria. We show that two of the plant peptides display antimicrobial activity against bacteria associated with food spoilage. When combined with HBD3, the peptides are highly effective. We also analyzed the activity of an easily made ultrashort synthetic peptide, O3TR. We show that this small peptide also displays antimicrobial activity against food-spoiling bacteria but is not as effective as HBD3 or the plant peptides. The plant peptides identified are good candidates for development as natural additives to prevent food spoilage.
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Zhao B, Yang D, Wong JH, Wang J, Yin C, Zhu Y, Fan S, Ng TB, Xia J, Li Z. A Thioether-Stabilizedd-Proline-l-Proline-Induced β-Hairpin Peptide of Defensin Segment Increases Its Anti-Candida albicansAbility. Chembiochem 2016; 17:1416-20. [DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201600179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bingchuan Zhao
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology; Shenzhen Graduate School of Peking University; Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Dan Yang
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology; Shenzhen Graduate School of Peking University; Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Jack Ho Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences; Faculty of Medicine; The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Shatin Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Jianpeng Wang
- Department of Chemistry; The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Shatin Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Cuiming Yin
- School of Biomedical Sciences; Faculty of Medicine; The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Shatin Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Yuxia Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Peking University Shenzhen Hospital; Shenzhen 518036 China
| | - Shangrong Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Peking University Shenzhen Hospital; Shenzhen 518036 China
| | - Tzi Bun Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences; Faculty of Medicine; The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Shatin Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Jiang Xia
- Department of Chemistry; The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Shatin Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Zigang Li
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology; Shenzhen Graduate School of Peking University; Shenzhen 518055 China
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Edwards IA, Elliott AG, Kavanagh AM, Zuegg J, Blaskovich MAT, Cooper MA. Contribution of Amphipathicity and Hydrophobicity to the Antimicrobial Activity and Cytotoxicity of β-Hairpin Peptides. ACS Infect Dis 2016; 2:442-450. [PMID: 27331141 PMCID: PMC4906375 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.6b00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
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Bacteria have acquired
extensive resistance mechanisms to protect themselves against antibiotic
action. Today the bacterial membrane has become one of the “final
frontiers” in the search for new compounds acting on novel
targets to address the threat of multi-drug resistant (MDR) and XDR
bacterial pathogens. β-Hairpin antimicrobial peptides are amphipathic,
membrane-binding antibiotics that exhibit a broad range of activities
against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and fungal pathogens. However,
most members of the class also possess adverse cytotoxicity and hemolytic
activity that preclude their development as candidate antimicrobials.
We examined peptide hydrophobicity, amphipathicity, and structure
to better dissect and understand the correlation between antimicrobial
activity and toxicity, membrane binding, and membrane permeability.
The hydrophobicity, pI, net charge at physiological
pH, and amphipathic moment for the β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides
tachyplesin-1, polyphemusin-1, protegrin-1, gomesin, arenicin-3, and
thanatin were determined and correlated with key antimicrobial activity
and toxicity data. These included antimicrobial activity against five
key bacterial pathogens and two fungi, cytotoxicity against human
cell lines, and hemolytic activity in human erythrocytes. Observed
antimicrobial activity trends correlated with compound amphipathicity
and, to a lesser extent, with overall hydrophobicity. Antimicrobial
activity increased with amphipathicity, but unfortunately so did toxicity.
Of note, tachyplesin-1 was found to be 8-fold more amphipathic than
gomesin. These analyses identify tachyplesin-1 as a promising scaffold
for rational design and synthetic optimization toward an antibiotic
candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid A. Edwards
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alysha G. Elliott
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Angela M. Kavanagh
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Johannes Zuegg
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mark A. T. Blaskovich
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Matthew A. Cooper
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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