1
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Lian Y, Tang X, Hu G, Miao C, Cui Y, Zhangsun D, Wu Y, Luo S. Characterization and evaluation of cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of cyclotides from Viola japonica. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9733. [PMID: 38679643 PMCID: PMC11056381 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60246-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Cyclotides are a type of defense peptide most commonly found in the Violaceae family of plants, exhibiting various biological activities. In this study, we focused on the Viola japonica as our research subject and conducted transcriptome sequencing and analysis using high-throughput transcriptomics techniques. During this process, we identified 61 cyclotides, among which 25 were previously documented, while the remaining 36 were designated as vija 1 to vija 36. Mass spectrometry detection showed that 21 putative cyclotides were found in the extract of V. japonica. Through isolation, purification and tandem mass spectrometry, we characterized and investigated the activities of five cyclotides. Our results demonstrated inhibitory effects of these cyclotides on the growth of Acinetobacter baumannii and Bacillus subtilis, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 4.2 μM and 2.1 μM, respectively. Furthermore, time killing kinetic assays revealed that cyclotides at concentration of 4 MICs achieved completely bactericidal effects within 2 h. Additionally, fluorescence staining experiments confirmed that cyclotides disrupt microbial membranes. Moreover, cytotoxicity studies showed that cyclotides possess cytotoxic effects, with IC50 values ranging from 0.1 to 3.5 μM. In summary, the discovery of new cyclotide sequences enhances our understanding of peptide diversity and the exploration of their activity lays the foundation for a deeper investigation into the mechanisms of action of cyclotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Lian
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xue Tang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Gehui Hu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Chenfang Miao
- Department of Pharmacy, The 900Th Hospital of Joint Logistics Team of the PLA, Fuzhou General Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yunfei Cui
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Dongting Zhangsun
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.
| | - Sulan Luo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Special Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
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2
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Okyem S, Romanova EV, Tai HC, Checco JW, Sweedler JV. Nontargeted Identification of D-Amino Acid-Containing Peptides Through Enzymatic Screening, Chiral Amino Acid Analysis, and LC-MS. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2758:227-240. [PMID: 38549017 PMCID: PMC11034756 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3646-6_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
D-amino acid-containing peptides (DAACPs) in animals are a class of bioactive molecules formed via the posttranslational modification of peptides consisting of all-L-amino acid residues. Amino acid residue isomerization greatly impacts the function of the resulting DAACP. However, because isomerization does not change the peptide's mass, this modification is difficult to detect by most mass spectrometry-based peptidomic approaches. Here we describe a method for the identification of DAACPs that can be used to systematically survey peptides extracted from a tissue sample in a nontargeted manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Okyem
- Department of Chemistry and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Elena V Romanova
- Department of Chemistry and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Hua-Chia Tai
- Department of Chemistry and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - James W Checco
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
- The Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (NCIBC), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Jonathan V Sweedler
- Department of Chemistry and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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3
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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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4
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Protocols for measuring the stability and cytotoxicity of cyclotides. Methods Enzymol 2022; 663:19-40. [PMID: 35168789 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Cyclotides are plant host-defense peptides that have a wide range of biological activities and have diverse potential applications in medicine and agriculture. These 27-37 amino acid peptides have a head-to-tail cyclic backbone and are built around a cystine knot core, which makes them exceptionally stable. This stability and their amenability to sequence modifications has made cyclotides attractive scaffolds in drug design, and many synthetic cyclotides have now been designed and synthesized to test their efficacy as leads for a wide range of diseases, including infectious disease, cancer, pain and multiple sclerosis. Additionally, some natural cyclotides are selectively toxic to certain cancer cell lines, opening their potential as anticancer agents, and others have insecticidal activity, with applications in crop protection. With these applications in mind, there is a need to be able to measure cyclotides in pharmaceutical or agrichemical formulations and in biological media such as blood serum, as well as to assess their potential persistence in the environment when used as agrichemical agents. This chapter describes protocols for quantifying cyclotides in biological fluids, measuring their stability, and assessing their relative cytotoxicity on various types of cells.
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5
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Yussif BM, Checco JW. Evaluation of endogenous peptide stereochemistry using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based spiking experiments. Methods Enzymol 2022; 663:205-234. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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6
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Fmoc Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis of Oxytocin and Analogues. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2021; 2384:175-199. [PMID: 34550575 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1759-5_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Solid phase peptide synthesis is the most commonly used method for the production of peptides. In this chapter, we outline the standard operating procedures used in our laboratory to efficiently access oxytocin-like peptides. This includes detailed descriptions of equipment setup, reagent selection, peptide assembly on solid support, peptide side chain deprotection and cleavage from the solid support, oxidative folding, purification, and analysis.
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7
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Thapa RK, Winther-Larsen HC, Diep DB, Tønnesen HH. Photostability studies of GarKS peptides for topical formulation development. Eur J Pharm Sci 2021; 158:105652. [PMID: 33248238 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2020.105652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as potent alternatives for conventional antibiotics, especially in chronic infected wounds. The development of a suitable topical formulation requires a thorough assessment of the photostability profiles of AMPs. In this study, we sought to investigate the photostability of novel Garvicin KS (GarKS; composed of three peptides GakA, GakB, and GakC) peptides either as an individual peptide or in combinations. The photostability of the aqueous peptide solution was determined using Suntest (indoor and outdoor conditions). Furthermore, the antimicrobial efficacy of the peptides was evaluated following UVA irradiations. Photodegradation of the peptides under indoor and outdoor conditions followed first-order kinetics. Individual peptides (GakA, GakB, and GakC) were more prone to photodegradation as compared to combination peptides (GakA+GakB, GakB+GakC, and GakA+GakC) both under indoor and outdoor conditions where the GakA+GakB combination was the most photostable. A combination of GakA+GakB+GakC enhanced photostability under indoor conditions but was reduced under outdoor conditions. A combination of three peptides with an antioxidant (glutathione) or superoxide/hydrogen peroxide scavenger (trehalose) enhanced the photostability of peptides with the highest stability achieved at a peptide:photostabilizer molar ratio of 1:0.8 for glutathione. A nominal increase in the MIC value for the peptide combinations as opposed to a larger increase for individual peptides further supports the photostability effects of combination peptides following UVA irradiations. These results suggest that the GakA+GakB or GakA+GakB+GakC combinations exhibited the highest photostability with excellent antimicrobial efficacy deemed suitable for the development of a potent AMP formulation for topical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Kumar Thapa
- Section for Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068 Blindern, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Hanne Cecilie Winther-Larsen
- Centre for Integrative Microbial Evolution (CIME) and Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, Sem Sælands vei 3, NO-0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Dzung B Diep
- Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Hanne Hjorth Tønnesen
- Section for Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068 Blindern, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway
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8
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Thapa RK, Winther-Larsen HC, Diep DB, Tønnesen HH. Preformulation studies on novel garvicin KS peptides for topical applications. Eur J Pharm Sci 2020; 151:105333. [PMID: 32268197 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2020.105333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as a viable alternative to antibiotics attributable to their potent antimicrobial effects and low propensity for resistance development, especially in chronic infected wounds. The development of an optimized topical formulation of AMPs is thus warranted. Preformulation studies for determination of the suitability and optimization requirements of AMPs in topical formulation development are important. Therefore, we sought to investigate the preformulation studies for a novel bacteriocin garvicin KS (GarKS), which is composed of three peptides (GakA, GakB, and GakC). The effects of physiological fluids and varying temperatures on GarKS peptide stability were determined. The antimicrobial effects of the peptides and their combinations were evaluated in Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin sensitive and resistant strains). Furthermore, their effects on fibroblast viability and proliferation were determined. The GarKS peptides were stable in water and PBS at room and physiological temperatures, however, the peptides were significantly degraded in simulated wound fluid. The antimicrobial and fibroblast cell viability/proliferation effects of either individual GarKS peptides or their combinations varied. A careful consideration of the peptide stability, antimicrobial efficacy, and fibroblast viability/proliferation effects suggests GakA+GakB as a potent combination for the development of an optimized topical formulation of GarKS peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Kumar Thapa
- Section for Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068 Blindern, NO, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Hanne Cecilie Winther-Larsen
- Centre for Integrative Microbial Evolution (CIME) and Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068 Blindern, NO, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Dzung B Diep
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology, and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, NO, 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Hanne Hjorth Tønnesen
- Section for Pharmaceutics and Social Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068 Blindern, NO, 0316 Oslo, Norway
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9
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Abstract
This Review explores the class of plant-derived macrocyclic peptides called cyclotides. We include an account of their discovery, characterization, and distribution in the plant kingdom as well as a detailed analysis of their sequences and structures, biosynthesis and chemical synthesis, biological functions, and applications. These macrocyclic peptides are around 30 amino acids in size and are characterized by their head-to-tail cyclic backbone and cystine knot motif, which render them to be exceptionally stable, with resistance to thermal or enzymatic degradation. Routes to their chemical synthesis have been developed over the past two decades, and this capability has facilitated a wide range of mutagenesis and structure-activity relationship studies. In turn, these studies have both led to an increased understanding of their mechanisms of action as well as facilitated a range of applications in agriculture and medicine, as ecofriendly crop protection agents, and as drug leads or scaffolds for pharmaceutical design. Our overall objective in this Review is to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of cyclotides that we hope will stimulate further work on this fascinating family of peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Meng-Wei Kan
- 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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10
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Muttenthaler M, Nevin ST, Inserra M, Lewis RJ, Adams DJ, Alewood P. On-resin strategy to label α-conotoxins: Cy5-RgIA, a potent α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor imaging probe. Aust J Chem 2019; 73:327-333. [PMID: 32394983 PMCID: PMC7212043 DOI: 10.1071/ch19456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
In-solution conjugation is the most commonly used strategy to label peptides and proteins with fluorophores. However, lack of site-specific control and high costs of fluorophores are recognised limitations of this approach. Here, we established facile access to grams of Cy5-COOH via a two-step synthetic route, demonstrated that Cy5 is stable to HF treatment and therefore compatible with Boc-SPPS, and coupled Cy5 to the N-terminus of α-conotoxin RgIA while still attached to the resin. Folding of the two-disulfide containing Cy5-RgIA benefitted from the hydrophobic nature of Cy5 resulting in only the globular disulfide bond isomer. In contrast, wild-type α-RgIA folded into the inactive ribbon and bioactive globular isomer under the same conditions. Labelled α-RgIA retained its ability to inhibit acetylcholine(100 μM)-evoked current reversibly with an IC50 of 5.0 nM (Hill coefficient = 1.7) for α-RgIA and an IC50 of 1.6 (Hill coefficient = 1.2) for Cy5-RgIA at the α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) heterologeously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Cy5-RgIA was then used to successfully visualise nAChRs in RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cell line. This work introduced not only a new and valuable nAChR probe, but also a new versatile synthetic strategy that facilitates production of milligram to gram quantities of fluorophore-labelled peptides at low cost, which is often required for in vivo experiments. The strategy is compatible with Boc- and Fmoc-chemistry, allows for site-specific labelling of free amines anywhere in the peptide sequence, and can also be used for the introduction of Cy3/Cy5 FRET pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Muttenthaler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon T Nevin
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Marco Inserra
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Richard J Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - David J Adams
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Paul Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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11
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Serra-Batiste M, Ninot-Pedrosa M, Puig E, Ciudad S, Gairí M, Carulla N. Preparation of a Well-Defined and Stable β-Barrel Pore-Forming Aβ42 Oligomer. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1779:13-22. [PMID: 29886524 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7816-8_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
The formation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) oligomers at the cellular membrane is considered a crucial process that underlies neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To obtain structural information on this type of oligomers, we were inspired by membrane protein approaches used to stabilize, characterize, and analyze the function of such proteins. Using these approaches, we developed conditions under which Aβ42, the Aβ variant most strongly linked to the aetiology of AD, assembles into an oligomer that inserts into lipid bilayers as a well-defined pore and adopts a specific structure with characteristics of a β-barrel arrangement. We named this oligomer β-barrel Pore-Forming Aβ42 Oligomer (βPFOAβ42). Here, we describe detailed protocols for its preparation and characterization. We expect βPFOAβ42 to be useful in establishing the involvement of membrane-associated Aβ oligomers in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Serra-Batiste
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Martí Ninot-Pedrosa
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,CBMN (UMR 5248), University of Bordeaux-CNRS-IPB, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Pessac, France
| | - Eduard Puig
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,CBMN (UMR 5248), University of Bordeaux-CNRS-IPB, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Pessac, France
| | - Sonia Ciudad
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,CBMN (UMR 5248), University of Bordeaux-CNRS-IPB, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Pessac, France
| | - Margarida Gairí
- NMR Facility, Scientific and Technological Centers, University of Barcelona (CCiTUB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natàlia Carulla
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain. .,CBMN (UMR 5248), University of Bordeaux-CNRS-IPB, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Pessac, France.
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12
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Abstract
Sortase A (SrtA) is an enzyme obtained from Staphylococcus aureus that catalyzes site-specific transpeptidation of surface proteins to the bacterial cell membrane. SrtA recognizes an LPXTG amino acid motif and cleaves between the Thr and Gly to form a thioester-linked acyl-enzyme intermediate. The intermediate is resolved in the presence of a nucleophilic N-terminal polyglycine resulting in ligation of the acyl donor to the polyglycine acceptor. Here we describe the application of SrtA as a tool for the cyclization of disulfide-rich peptides. Reactions are typically tailored to each disulfide-rich peptide with optimal conditions producing yields of 40-50% cyclized peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akello J Agwa
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Christina I Schroeder
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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13
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Checco JW, Zhang G, Yuan WD, Yu K, Yin SY, Roberts-Galbraith RH, Yau PM, Romanova EV, Jing J, Sweedler JV. Molecular and Physiological Characterization of a Receptor for d-Amino Acid-Containing Neuropeptides. ACS Chem Biol 2018. [PMID: 29543428 PMCID: PMC5962930 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Neuropeptides
in several animals undergo an unusual post-translational
modification, the isomerization of an amino acid residue from the l-stereoisomer to the d-stereoisomer. The resulting d-amino acid-containing peptide (DAACP) often displays biological
activity higher than that of its all-l-residue analogue,
with the d-residue being critical for function in many cases.
However, little is known about the full physiological roles played
by DAACPs, and few studies have examined the interaction of DAACPs
with their cognate receptors. Here, we characterized the signaling
of several DAACPs derived from a single neuropeptide prohormone, the Aplysia californica achatin-like neuropeptide precursor
(apALNP), at their putative receptor, the achatin-like neuropeptide
receptor (apALNR). We first used quantitative polymerase chain reaction
and in situ hybridization experiments to demonstrate
receptor (apALNR) expression throughout the central
nervous system; on the basis of the expression pattern, we identified
novel physiological functions that may be mediated by apALNR. To gain
insight into ligand signaling through apALNR, we created a library
of native and non-native neuropeptide analogues derived from apALNP
(the neuropeptide prohormone) and evaluated them for activity in cells
co-transfected with apALNR and the promiscuous Gα
subunit Gα-16. Several of these neuropeptide
analogues were also evaluated for their ability to induce circuit
activity in a well-defined neural network associated with feeding
behavior in intact ganglia from Aplysia. Our results
reveal the specificity of apALNR and provide strong evidence that
this receptor mediates diverse physiological functions throughout
the central nervous system. Finally, we show that some native apALNP-derived
DAACPs exhibit enhanced stability toward endogenous proteases, suggesting
that the d-residues in these DAACPs may increase the peptide
lifetime, in addition to influencing receptor specificity, in the
nervous system. Ultimately, these studies provide insight into signaling
at one of the few known DAACP-specific receptors and advance our understanding
of the roles that l- to d-residue isomerization
play in neuropeptide signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W. Checco
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Guo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wang-ding Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ke Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Si-yuan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rachel H. Roberts-Galbraith
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Peter M. Yau
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, Protein Sciences Facility, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Elena V. Romanova
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Jian Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jonathan V. Sweedler
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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14
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Tai HC, Checco JW, Sweedler JV. Non-targeted Identification of D-Amino Acid-Containing Peptides Through Enzymatic Screening, Chiral Amino Acid Analysis, and LC-MS. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1719:107-118. [PMID: 29476507 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7537-2_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
D-Amino acid-containing peptides (DAACPs) in animals are a class of bioactive molecules formed via the posttranslational modification of peptides consisting of all-L-amino acid residues. Amino acid residue isomerization greatly impacts the function of the resulting DAACP. However, because isomerization does not change the peptide's mass, this modification is difficult to detect by most mass spectrometry-based peptidomic approaches. Here we describe a method for the identification of DAACPs that can be used to systematically survey peptides extracted from a tissue sample in a non-targeted manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Chia Tai
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - James W Checco
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Jonathan V Sweedler
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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15
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Muttenthaler M, Andersson Å, Vetter I, Menon R, Busnelli M, Ragnarsson L, Bergmayr C, Arrowsmith S, Deuis JR, Chiu HS, Palpant NJ, O'Brien M, Smith TJ, Wray S, Neumann ID, Gruber CW, Lewis RJ, Alewood PF. Subtle modifications to oxytocin produce ligands that retain potency and improved selectivity across species. Sci Signal 2017; 10:10/508/eaan3398. [PMID: 29208680 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aan3398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin and vasopressin mediate various physiological functions that are important for osmoregulation, reproduction, cardiovascular function, social behavior, memory, and learning through four G protein-coupled receptors that are also implicated in high-profile disorders. Targeting these receptors is challenging because of the difficulty in obtaining ligands that retain selectivity across rodents and humans for translational studies. We identified a selective and more stable oxytocin receptor (OTR) agonist by subtly modifying the pharmacophore framework of human oxytocin and vasopressin. [Se-Se]-oxytocin-OH displayed similar potency to oxytocin but improved selectivity for OTR, an effect that was retained in mice. Centrally infused [Se-Se]-oxytocin-OH potently reversed social fear in mice, confirming that this action was mediated by OTR and not by V1a or V1b vasopressin receptors. In addition, [Se-Se]-oxytocin-OH produced a more regular contraction pattern than did oxytocin in a preclinical labor induction and augmentation model using myometrial strips from cesarean sections. [Se-Se]-oxytocin-OH had no activity in human cardiomyocytes, indicating a potentially improved safety profile and therapeutic window compared to those of clinically used oxytocin. In conclusion, [Se-Se]-oxytocin-OH is a novel probe for validating OTR as a therapeutic target in various biological systems and is a promising new lead for therapeutic development. Our medicinal chemistry approach may also be applicable to other peptidergic signaling systems with similar selectivity issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Muttenthaler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia. .,Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Åsa Andersson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.,School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4104, Australia
| | - Rohit Menon
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marta Busnelli
- CNR-Institute of Neuroscience, 20129 Milan, Italy.,Department of Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20129 Milan, Italy
| | - Lotten Ragnarsson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Christian Bergmayr
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah Arrowsmith
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Harris-Wellbeing Preterm Birth Centre, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Jennifer R Deuis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Han Sheng Chiu
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Nathan J Palpant
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Margaret O'Brien
- National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 CF50, Ireland
| | - Terry J Smith
- National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 CF50, Ireland
| | - Susan Wray
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Harris-Wellbeing Preterm Birth Centre, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christian W Gruber
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Richard J Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Paul F Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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16
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Kiss R, Fizil Á, Szántay C. What NMR can do in the biopharmaceutical industry. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2017; 147:367-377. [PMID: 28760370 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has a unique capability to probe the primary and higher order molecular structure and the structural dynamics of biomolecules at an atomic resolution, and this capability has been greatly fortified over the last five decades by an astonishing NMR instrumental and methodological development. Because of these factors, NMR has become a primary tool for the structure investigation of biomolecules, spawning a whole scientific subfield dedicated to the subject. This role of NMR is by now well established and broadly appreciated, especially in the context of academic research dealing with proteins that are purified and isotope-labeled in order to facilitate the necessary sophisticated multidimensional NMR measurements. However, the more recent industrial development, manufacturing, and quality control of biopharmaceuticals provide a different framework for NMR. For example, protein drug substances are not isotope-labeled and are present in a medium of excipients, which make structural NMR measurements much more difficult. On the other hand, biotechnology involves many other analytical requirements that can be efficiently addressed by NMR. In this respect the scope and limitations of NMR are less well understood. Having the non-expert reader in mind, herein we wish to highlight the ways in which modern NMR can effectively support biotechnological developments. Our focus will be on biosimilar proteins, pointing out certain cases where its use is probably essential. Based partly on literature data, and partly on our own hands-on experience, this paper is intended to be a guide for choosing the proper NMR approach for analytical questions concerning the structural comparability of therapeutic proteins, monitoring technology-related impurities, protein quantification, analysis of spent media, identification of extractable and leachable components, etc. Also, we focus on critical considerations, particularly those coming from drug authority guidelines, which limit the use of the well-established NMR tools in everyday practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Róbert Kiss
- Gedeon Richter Plc, Hungary; Spectroscopic Research Department, Hungary
| | - Ádám Fizil
- Gedeon Richter Plc, Hungary; Analytical Department of Biotechnology, Hungary
| | - Csaba Szántay
- Gedeon Richter Plc, Hungary; Spectroscopic Research Department, Hungary.
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17
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Weinhold A, Wielsch N, Svatoš A, Baldwin IT. Label-free nanoUPLC-MSE based quantification of antimicrobial peptides from the leaf apoplast of Nicotiana attenuata. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2015; 15:18. [PMID: 25604123 PMCID: PMC4318441 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-014-0398-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overexpressing novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in plants is a promising approach for crop disease resistance engineering. However, the in planta stability and subcellular localization of each AMP should be validated for the respective plant species, which can be challenging due to the small sizes and extreme pI ranges of AMPs which limits the utility of standard proteomic gel-based methods. Despite recent advances in quantitative shotgun proteomics, its potential for AMP analysis has not been utilized and high throughput methods are still lacking. RESULTS We created transgenic Nicotiana attenuata plants that independently express 10 different AMPs under a constitutive 35S promoter and compared the extracellular accumulation of each AMP using a universal and versatile protein quantification method. We coupled a rapid apoplastic peptide extraction with label-free protein quantification by nanoUPLC-MSE analysis using Hi3 method and identified/quantified 7 of 10 expressed AMPs in the transgenic plants ranging from 37 to 91 amino acids in length. The quantitative comparison among the transgenic plant lines showed that three particular peptides, belonging to the defensin, knottin and lipid-transfer protein families, attained the highest concentrations of 91 to 254 pmol per g leaf fresh mass, which identified them as best suited for ectopic expression in N. attenuata. The chosen mass spectrometric approach proved to be highly sensitive in the detection of different AMP types and exhibited the high level of analytical reproducibility required for label-free quantitative measurements along with a simple protocol required for the sample preparation. CONCLUSIONS Heterologous expression of AMPs in plants can result in highly variable and non-predictable peptide amounts and we present a universal quantitative method to confirm peptide stability and extracellular deposition. The method allows for the rapid quantification of apoplastic peptides without cumbersome and time-consuming purification or chromatographic steps and can be easily adapted to other plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Weinhold
- />Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Molecular Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Natalie Wielsch
- />Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Mass Spectrometry/Proteomics Research Group, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Aleš Svatoš
- />Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Mass Spectrometry/Proteomics Research Group, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Ian T Baldwin
- />Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Molecular Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
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18
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Effective synthesis of cyclic peptide yunnanin C and analogues via Ser/Thr ligation (STL)-mediated peptide cyclization. Tetrahedron 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2014.05.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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19
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Kövér KE, Batta G. NMR investigation of disulfide containing peptides and proteins. AMINO ACIDS, PEPTIDES AND PROTEINS 2013:37-59. [DOI: 10.1039/9781849737081-00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Peptides and proteins with disulfide bonds are abundant in all kingdoms and play essential role in many biological events. Because small disulfide-rich peptides (proteins) are usually difficult to crystallize, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is by far one of the most powerful techniques for the determination of their solution structure. Besides the “static” three-dimensional structure, NMR has unique opportunities to acquire additional information about molecular dynamics and folding at atomic resolution. Nowadays it is becoming increasingly evident, that “excited”, “disordered” or “fuzzy” protein states may exhibit biological function and disulfide proteins are also promising targets for such studies. In this short two-three years overview those disulfide peptides and proteins were cited from the literature that were studied by NMR. Though we may have missed some, their structural diversity and complexity as well as their wide repertoire of biological functions is impressive. We emphasised especially antimicrobial peptides and peptide based toxins in addition to some biologically important other structures. Besides the general NMR methods we reviewed some contemporary techniques suitable for disclosing the peculiar properties of disulfide bonds. Interesting dynamics and folding studies of disulfide proteins were also mentioned. It is important to disclose the essential structure, dynamics, function aspects of disulfide proteins since this aids the design of new compounds with improved activity and reduced toxicity. Undoubtedly, NMR has the potential to accelerate the development of new disulfide peptides/proteins with pharmacological activity.
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20
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Conibear AC, Rosengren KJ, Daly NL, Henriques ST, Craik DJ. The cyclic cystine ladder in θ-defensins is important for structure and stability, but not antibacterial activity. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:10830-40. [PMID: 23430740 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.451047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
θ-Defensins are ribosomally synthesized cyclic peptides found in the leukocytes of some primate species and have promising applications as antimicrobial agents and scaffolds for peptide drugs. The cyclic cystine ladder motif, comprising a cyclic peptide backbone and three parallel disulfide bonds, is characteristic of θ-defensins. In this study, we explore the role of the cyclic peptide backbone and cystine ladder in the structure, stability, and activity of θ-defensins. θ-Defensin analogues with different numbers and combinations of disulfide bonds were synthesized and characterized in terms of their NMR solution structures, serum and thermal stabilities, and their antibacterial and membrane-binding activities. Whereas the structures and stabilities of the peptides were primarily dependent on the number and position of the disulfide bonds, their antibacterial and membrane-binding properties were dependent on the cyclic backbone. The results provide insights into the mechanism of action of θ-defensins and illustrate the potential of θ-defensin analogues as scaffolds for peptide drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne C Conibear
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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21
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Conibear AC, Rosengren KJ, Harvey PJ, Craik DJ. Structural characterization of the cyclic cystine ladder motif of θ-defensins. Biochemistry 2012; 51:9718-26. [PMID: 23148585 DOI: 10.1021/bi301363a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The θ-defensins are, to date, the only known ribosomally synthesized cyclic peptides in mammals, and they have promising antimicrobial bioactivities. The characteristic structural motif of the θ-defensins is the cyclic cystine ladder, comprising a cyclic peptide backbone and three parallel disulfide bonds. In contrast to the cyclic cystine knot, which characterizes the plant cyclotides, the cyclic cystine ladder has not been as well described as a structural motif. Here we report the solution structures and nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation properties in aqueous solution of three representative θ-defensins from different species. Our data suggest that the θ-defensins are more rigid and structurally defined than previously thought. In addition, all three θ-defensins were found to self-associate in aqueous solution in a concentration-dependent and reversible manner, a property that might have a role in their mechanism of action. The structural definition of the θ-defensins and the cyclic cystine ladder will help to guide exploitation of these molecules as structural frameworks for the design of peptide drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne C Conibear
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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