1
|
Tsai CT, Lin CW, Ye GL, Wu SC, Yao P, Lin CT, Wan L, Tsai HHG. Accelerating Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery for WHO Priority Pathogens through Predictive and Interpretable Machine Learning Models. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:9357-9374. [PMID: 38434814 PMCID: PMC10905719 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c08676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The escalating menace of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens necessitates a paradigm shift from conventional antibiotics to innovative alternatives. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) emerge as a compelling contender in this arena. Employing in silico methodologies, we can usher in a new era of AMP discovery, streamlining the identification process from vast candidate sequences, thereby optimizing laboratory screening expenditures. Here, we unveil cutting-edge machine learning (ML) models that are both predictive and interpretable, tailored for the identification of potent AMPs targeting World Health Organization's (WHO) high-priority pathogens. Furthermore, we have developed ML models that consider the hemolysis of human erythrocytes, emphasizing their therapeutic potential. Anchored in the nuanced physical-chemical attributes gleaned from the three-dimensional (3D) helical conformations of AMPs, our optimized models have demonstrated commendable performance-boasting an accuracy exceeding 75% when evaluated against both low-sequence-identified peptides and recently unveiled AMPs. As a testament to their efficacy, we deployed these models to prioritize peptide sequences stemming from PEM-2 and subsequently probed the bioactivity of our algorithm-predicted peptides vis-à-vis WHO's priority pathogens. Intriguingly, several of these new AMPs outperformed the native PEM-2 in their antimicrobial prowess, thereby underscoring the robustness of our modeling approach. To elucidate ML model outcomes, we probe via Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values, uncovering intricate mechanisms guiding diverse actions against bacteria. Our state-of-the-art predictive models expedite the design of new AMPs, offering a robust countermeasure to antibiotic resistance. Our prediction tool is available to the public at https://ai-meta.chem.ncu.edu.tw/amp-meta.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Ting Tsai
- Department
of Chemistry, National Central University, No. 300, Zhongda Road, Zhongli District, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Wei Lin
- Department
of Chemistry, National Central University, No. 300, Zhongda Road, Zhongli District, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
| | - Gen-Lin Ye
- Department
of Chemistry, National Central University, No. 300, Zhongda Road, Zhongli District, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Chi Wu
- Department
of Chemistry, National Central University, No. 300, Zhongda Road, Zhongli District, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
| | - Philip Yao
- Aurora
High School, 109 W Pioneer Trail, Aurora, Ohio 44202, United States
| | - Ching-Ting Lin
- School
of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Lei Wan
- School
of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Hsu Gavin Tsai
- Department
of Chemistry, National Central University, No. 300, Zhongda Road, Zhongli District, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
- Research
Center of New Generation Light Driven Photovoltaic Modules, National Central University, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu Y, Zhang X, Meng C, Ji S, Guo K. Antimicrobial activity of the recombinant peptide Melittin-Thanatin with three glycine to tryptophan mutations. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2022:1-11. [PMID: 36508334 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2022.2151016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The antimicrobial peptide was considered an important target for developing novel antibacterial drugs. However, the unstable biological activity and the low antibacterial activity are challenges for the application of recombinant proteins. In this study, the fusion peptide of Melittin-Thanatin (MT) was designed and produced, and its derivative sequence (MT-W) was obtained by replacing three glycines (Gly, G) with tryptophan (Trp, W). The MT-W peptide were synthesized in Bacillus subtilis WB700 by EDDIE self-cleavage protein fusion. Compared with MT, MT-W exhibited 2-4 times higher antibacterial rate against Escherichia coli K88. In addition, MT-W showed lower cytotoxicity (IC50 > 300 mg·L-1) to the red blood cell, and more stable biological activities under the conditions of different temperatures (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 °C), pH values (2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, and 9.0) and different proteases. Especially, MT-W showed a broader antibacterial effect on three drug-resistant strains than florfenicol and oxytetracycline calcium. In conclusion, compared with MT, the MT-W showed increased antibacterial activity, stability, lower cytotoxicity, and broader antimicrobial effect. Therefore, it would become a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xiuping Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Chunyan Meng
- Beijing Sinogene High-Tech Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Shengyue Ji
- Beijing Sinogene High-Tech Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kangkang Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wesseling CJ, Martin NI. Synergy by Perturbing the Gram-Negative Outer Membrane: Opening the Door for Gram-Positive Specific Antibiotics. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1731-1757. [PMID: 35946799 PMCID: PMC9469101 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
New approaches to target antibacterial agents toward Gram-negative bacteria are key, given the rise of antibiotic resistance. Since the discovery of polymyxin B nonapeptide as a potent Gram-negative outer membrane (OM)-permeabilizing synergist in the early 1980s, a vast amount of literature on such synergists has been published. This Review addresses a range of peptide-based and small organic compounds that disrupt the OM to elicit a synergistic effect with antibiotics that are otherwise inactive toward Gram-negative bacteria, with synergy defined as a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of <0.5. Another requirement for the inclusion of the synergists here covered is their potentiation of a specific set of clinically used antibiotics: erythromycin, rifampicin, novobiocin, or vancomycin. In addition, we have focused on those synergists with reported activity against Gram-negative members of the ESKAPE family of pathogens namely, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and/or Acinetobacter baumannii. In cases where the FICI values were not directly reported in the primary literature but could be calculated from the published data, we have done so, allowing for more direct comparison of potency with other synergists. We also address the hemolytic activity of the various OM-disrupting synergists reported in the literature, an effect that is often downplayed but is of key importance in assessing the selectivity of such compounds for Gram-negative bacteria.
Collapse
|
4
|
Tsai CY, Salawu EO, Li H, Lin GY, Kuo TY, Voon L, Sharma A, Hu KD, Cheng YY, Sahoo S, Stuart L, Chen CW, Chang YY, Lu YL, Ke S, Ortiz CLD, Fang BS, Wu CC, Lan CY, Fu HW, Yang LW. Helical structure motifs made searchable for functional peptide design. Nat Commun 2022; 13:102. [PMID: 35013238 PMCID: PMC8748493 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27655-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The systematic design of functional peptides has technological and therapeutic applications. However, there is a need for pattern-based search engines that help locate desired functional motifs in primary sequences regardless of their evolutionary conservation. Existing databases such as The Protein Secondary Structure database (PSS) no longer serves the community, while the Dictionary of Protein Secondary Structure (DSSP) annotates the secondary structures when tertiary structures of proteins are provided. Here, we extract 1.7 million helices from the PDB and compile them into a database (Therapeutic Peptide Design database; TP-DB) that allows queries of compounded patterns to facilitate the identification of sequence motifs of helical structures. We show how TP-DB helps us identify a known purification-tag-specific antibody that can be repurposed into a diagnostic kit for Helicobacter pylori. We also show how the database can be used to design a new antimicrobial peptide that shows better Candida albicans clearance and lower hemolysis than its template homologs. Finally, we demonstrate how TP-DB can suggest point mutations in helical peptide blockers to prevent a targeted tumorigenic protein-protein interaction. TP-DB is made available at http://dyn.life.nthu.edu.tw/design/ .
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Yu Tsai
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, 100025, Taiwan.,Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225, Taiwan
| | - Emmanuel Oluwatobi Salawu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.,Bioinformatics Program, Institute of Information Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115201, Taiwan.,Machine Learning Solutions Lab, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Herndon, VA, USA
| | - Hongchun Li
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.,Research Center for Computer-Aided Drug Discovery, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China.,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.,Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Guan-Yu Lin
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Yu Kuo
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Liyin Voon
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Adarsh Sharma
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Di Hu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Yun Cheng
- Praexisio Taiwan Inc., New Taipei, 221425, Taiwan
| | - Sobha Sahoo
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Lutimba Stuart
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wei Chen
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Yu Chang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.,Praexisio Taiwan Inc., New Taipei, 221425, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Lin Lu
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Simai Ke
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Christopher Llynard D Ortiz
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.,Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics Program, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115201, Taiwan.,Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan
| | - Bai-Shan Fang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.,The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Key Lab for Synthetic Biotechnology of Xiamen City, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China
| | - Chen-Chi Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100225, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu, 302058, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Yu Lan
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan. .,Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.
| | - Hua-Wen Fu
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan. .,Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.
| | - Lee-Wei Yang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan. .,Bioinformatics Program, Institute of Information Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115201, Taiwan. .,Physics Division, National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Taipei, 106319, Taiwan. .,PhD Program in Biomedical Artificial Intelligence, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300044, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wu CL, Peng KL, Yip BS, Chih YH, Cheng JW. Boosting Synergistic Effects of Short Antimicrobial Peptides With Conventional Antibiotics Against Resistant Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:747760. [PMID: 34733262 PMCID: PMC8558513 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.747760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The global spread of antibiotic-resistant infections has meant that there is an urgent need to develop new antimicrobial alternatives. In this study, we developed a strategy to boost and/or synergize the activity of conventional antibiotics by combination with antimicrobial peptides tagged with the bulky non-natural amino acid β-naphthylalanine (Nal) to their N- or C-terminus. A checkerboard method was used to evaluate synergistic effects of the parent peptide and the Nal-tagged peptides. Moreover, boron-dipyrro-methene labeled vancomycin was used to characterize the synergistic mechanism of action between the peptides and vancomycin on the bacterial strains. These Nal-tagged antimicrobial peptides also reduced the antibiotic-induced release of lipopolysaccharide from Gram-negative bacteria by more than 99.95%. Our results demonstrate that Nal-tagged peptides could help in developing antimicrobial peptides that not only have enhanced antibacterial activities but also increase the synergistic effects with conventional antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Lung Wu
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Kuang-Li Peng
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Bak-Sau Yip
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Han Chih
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Jya-Wei Cheng
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Antimicrobial Peptides with Enhanced Salt Resistance and Antiendotoxin Properties. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186810. [PMID: 32948086 PMCID: PMC7554977 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A strategy was described to design antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with enhanced salt resistance and antiendotoxin activities by linking two helical AMPs with the Ala-Gly-Pro (AGP) hinge. Among the designed peptides, KR12AGPWR6 demonstrated the best antimicrobial activities even in high salt conditions (NaCl ~300 mM) and possessed the strongest antiendotoxin activities. These activities may be related to hydrophobicity, membrane-permeability, and α-helical content of the peptide. Amino acids of the C-terminal helices were found to affect the peptide-induced permeabilization of LUVs, the α-helicity of the designed peptides under various LUVs, and the LPS aggregation and size alternation. A possible model was proposed to explain the mechanism of LPS neutralization by the designed peptides. These findings could provide a new approach for designing AMPs with enhanced salt resistance and antiendotoxin activities for potential therapeutic applications.
Collapse
|
7
|
Zandsalimi F, Talaei S, Noormohammad Ahari M, Aghamiri S, Raee P, Roshanzamiri S, Yarian F, Bandehpour M, Zohrab Zadeh Z. Antimicrobial peptides: a promising strategy for lung cancer drug discovery? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 15:1343-1354. [PMID: 32749935 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1791080] [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: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also called host defense peptides (HDPs), are identified in almost any form of life, which play an important role in innate immune systems. They have a broad spectrum of antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of global cancer-related death. Unfortunately, lung cancer chemotherapy is accompanied by serious side effects, nonspecific toxicity, and multidrug resistance. Hence, to overcome these drawbacks, anticancer peptides (ACPs) derived from AMPs may represent a potential promising synergistic treatment strategy for lung cancer. AREAS COVERED In this review, the authors provide the recent advancements in the use of AMPs for the treatment of lung cancer. Furthermore, the anti-lung cancer modes of action of these peptides have been fully reviewed. Importantly, various strategies for increasing the efficiency and safety of AMPs have been discussed. EXPERT OPINION The combination of AMPs and other cancer treatment approaches such as chemotherapy, nanoparticle-based delivery systems, and photodynamic therapy can be used as a promising revolutionary strategy for the treatment of lung cancer. The most significant limitations of this strategy that need to be focused on are low efficiency and off-target events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Farshid Zandsalimi
- Students' Scientific Research Center, Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Sam Talaei
- School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Noormohammad Ahari
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahin Aghamiri
- Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran.,Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Pourya Raee
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Soheil Roshanzamiri
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Yarian
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran.,Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Mojgan Bandehpour
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran.,Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran
| | - Zeinab Zohrab Zadeh
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences , Ahvaz, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kunda NK. Antimicrobial peptides as novel therapeutics for non-small cell lung cancer. Drug Discov Today 2020; 25:238-247. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
|
9
|
Juretić D, Simunić J. Design of α-helical antimicrobial peptides with a high selectivity index. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 14:1053-1063. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2019.1642322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Davor Juretić
- Mediterranean Institute for Life Sciences, Split, Croatia
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Split, Split, Croatia
| | - Juraj Simunić
- Division of molecular biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Almeida JR, Palacios ALV, Patiño RSP, Mendes B, Teixeira CAS, Gomes P, da Silva SL. Harnessing snake venom phospholipases A 2 to novel approaches for overcoming antibiotic resistance. Drug Dev Res 2018; 80:68-85. [PMID: 30255943 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic resistance drives an essential race against time to reveal new molecular structures capable of addressing this alarming global health problem. Snake venoms are natural catalogs of multifunctional toxins and privileged frameworks, which serve as potential templates for the inspiration of novel treatment strategies for combating antibiotic resistant bacteria. Phospholipases A2 (PLA2 s) are one of the main classes of antibacterial biomolecules, with recognized therapeutic value, found in these valuable secretions. Recently, a number of biomimetic oligopeptides based on small fragments of primary structure from PLA2 toxins has emerged as a meaningful opportunity to overcome multidrug-resistant clinical isolates. Thus, this review will highlight the biochemical and structural properties of antibacterial PLA2 s and peptides thereof, as well as their possible molecular mechanisms of action and key roles in development of effective therapeutic strategies. Chemical strategies possibly useful to convert antibacterial peptides from PLA2 s to efficient drugs will be equally addressed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bruno Mendes
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Cátia A S Teixeira
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV/REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Saulo L da Silva
- Facultad de Ciencias Química, Universidad de Cuenca - Cuenca/Azuay - Ecuador
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Chih YH, Wang SY, Yip BS, Cheng KT, Hsu SY, Wu CL, Yu HY, Cheng JW. Dependence on size and shape of non-nature amino acids in the enhancement of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) neutralizing activities of antimicrobial peptides. J Colloid Interface Sci 2018; 533:492-502. [PMID: 30176540 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2018.08.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Release of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from bacteria into bloodstream may cause serious unwanted stimulation of the host immune system. P-113 is a clinically active histidine-rich antimicrobial peptide. Nal-P-113, a β-naphthylalanine-substituted P-113, is salt-resistant but has limited LPS neutralizing activity. We suspected the size and shape of the non-natural bulky amino acid may affect its LPS neutralizing activity. Herein, antimicrobial, LPS neutralizing, and antiproteolytic effects of phenylalanine- (Phe-P-113), β-naphthylalanine- (Nal-P-113), β-diphenylalanine- (Dip-P-113), and β-(4,4'-biphenyl)alanine- (Bip-P-113) substituted P-113 were studied. EXPERIMENTS Structure-activity relationships of P-113, Phe-P-113, Nal-P-113, Dip-P-113, and Bip-P-113 were evaluated using antimicrobial activity assays, serum proteolytic assays, peptide-induced permeabilization of large unilamellar vesicles, zeta potential measurements, dynamic light scattering measurement of LPS aggregation, and Limulus amebocyte lysate assays for measuring LPS neutralization. In vitro and in vivo LPS neutralizing activities were further confirmed by LPS-induced inflammation inhibition in an endotoxemia mouse model. FINDINGS Bip-P-113 and Dip-P-113 had the longest and widest non-nature amino acids, respectively. Bip-P-113 enhanced salt resistance, serum proteolytic stability, peptide-induced permeabilization, zeta potential measurements, LPS aggregation, and in vitro and in vivo LPS neutralizing activities. These results could help design novel antimicrobial peptides that have enhanced stability in vivo and that can have potential therapeutic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Han Chih
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - Siou-Ying Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - Bak-Sau Yip
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - Kuang-Ting Cheng
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - Su-Ya Hsu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Lung Wu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Yuan Yu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
| | - Jya-Wei Cheng
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
A High-Throughput Approach To Identify Compounds That Impair Envelope Integrity in Escherichia coli. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:5995-6002. [PMID: 27458225 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00537-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The envelope of Gram-negative bacteria constitutes an impenetrable barrier to numerous classes of antimicrobials. This intrinsic resistance, coupled with acquired multidrug resistance, has drastically limited the treatment options against Gram-negative pathogens. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate an assay for identifying compounds that increase envelope permeability, thereby conferring antimicrobial susceptibility by weakening of the cell envelope barrier in Gram-negative bacteria. A high-throughput whole-cell screening platform was developed to measure Escherichia coli envelope permeability to a β-galactosidase chromogenic substrate. The signal produced by cytoplasmic β-galactosidase-dependent cleavage of the chromogenic substrate was used to determine the degree of envelope permeabilization. The assay was optimized by using known envelope-permeabilizing compounds and E. coli gene deletion mutants with impaired envelope integrity. As a proof of concept, a compound library comprising 36 peptides and 45 peptidomimetics was screened, leading to identification of two peptides that substantially increased envelope permeability. Compound 79 reduced significantly (from 8- to 125-fold) the MICs of erythromycin, fusidic acid, novobiocin and rifampin and displayed synergy (fractional inhibitory concentration index, <0.2) with these antibiotics by checkerboard assays in two genetically distinct E. coli strains, including the high-risk multidrug-resistant, CTX-M-15-producing sequence type 131 clone. Notably, in the presence of 0.25 μM of this peptide, both strains were susceptible to rifampin according to the resistance breakpoints (R > 0.5 μg/ml) for Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. The high-throughput screening platform developed in this study can be applied to accelerate the discovery of antimicrobial helper drug candidates and targets that enhance the delivery of existing antibiotics by impairing envelope integrity in Gram-negative bacteria.
Collapse
|
13
|
Bartoccini F, Bartolucci S, Mari M, Piersanti G. A simple, modular synthesis of C4-substituted tryptophan derivatives. Org Biomol Chem 2016; 14:10095-10100. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ob01791f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
A straightforward, rapid, versatile, regio- and chemoselective approach for the synthesis of C4-substituted tryptophan derivatives is reported.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F. Bartoccini
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences
- University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”
- 61029 Urbino
- Italy
| | - S. Bartolucci
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences
- University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”
- 61029 Urbino
- Italy
| | - M. Mari
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences
- University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”
- 61029 Urbino
- Italy
| | - G. Piersanti
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences
- University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”
- 61029 Urbino
- Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Efficacy of a novel antimicrobial peptide against periodontal pathogens in both planktonic and polymicrobial biofilm states. Acta Biomater 2015. [PMID: 26210284 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2015.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Streptococcus gordonii, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis represent the early, middle and late colonizers of the bacterial accretion in dental plaque biofilms. These sessile communities constitute a protected mode of growth that promotes survival in a hostile environment. This study describes a novel and unrecognized role for a synthetic cationic antimicrobial peptide, Nal-P-113, which inhibits and kills periodontal bacteria in planktonic state, inhibits the formation of biofilms and eradicates polymicrobial biofilms. Nal-P-113 is also stable in saliva, serum and saline solution. At a concentration less than 320 μg/mL which is harmless to normal oral cells, Nal-P-113 can kill bacteria in planktonic state. At a concentration of antimicrobial peptide Nal-P-113 (1280 μg/mL) which only causes slight damages to normal oral cells is needed to kill bacteria in biofilm state. It is worth mentioning that this concentration of Nal-P-113 is harmless to rat oral mucosa compared to chlorhexidine. The mechanism of Nal-P-113 inhibiting and killing periodontal bacteria might rely on the abilities to permeabilize and/or to form pores within the cytoplasmic membranes, thus causes the death of bacteria. Here, we provided a novel and stable antimicrobial peptide with very low mammalian cytotoxicity, which can inhibit and kill periodontal bacteria in both planktonic and polymicrobial biofilm states. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Nal-P-113 is a potent antimicrobial peptide with strong antimicrobial ability, improved deficiency compared with other antibacterial peptides, and remains stable in phosphate buffered saline, saliva, brain-heart infusion medium and bovine calf serum. Nal-P-113 exhibits a broad spectrum of bacteriocidal activity with excellent eradicating capability on oral pathogens and the respective biofilms. In this study, we used propidium iodide staining, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy to confirm that Nal-P-113 can perforate plasmalemma thereby resulting in the death of oral pathogens and disintegrate the respective biofilms. Nal-P-113 also showed effective anti-plaque biofilms and cytotoxicity in the rat periodontitis model. No adverse effects can be observed on the gingivomucosa tissue. In short, the antimicrobial peptide Nal-P-113 presented to be an effective yet have low mammalian cytotoxicity agent with potential application in the clinic. This study provides a proof of concept in applying antimicrobial peptides in the clinical perspective.
Collapse
|
15
|
In vitro properties of designed antimicrobial peptides that exhibit potent antipneumococcal activity and produces synergism in combination with penicillin. Sci Rep 2015; 5:9761. [PMID: 25985150 PMCID: PMC4434909 DOI: 10.1038/srep09761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a promising class of novel antimicrobial agents owing to their potent antimicrobial activity. In this study, two lead peptides from unrelated classes of AMPs were systematically hybridized into a series of five hybrid peptides (DM1- DM5) with conserved N- and C-termini. This approach allows sequence bridging of two highly dissimilar AMPs and enables sequence-activity relationship be detailed down to single amino acid level. Presence of specific amino acids and physicochemical properties were used to describe the antipneumococcal activity of these hybrids. Results obtained suggested that cell wall and/or membrane targeting could be the principal mechanism exerted by the hybrids leading to microbial cell killing. Moreover, the pneumocidal rate was greater than penicillin (PEN). Combination treatment with both DMs and PEN produced synergism. The hybrids were also broad spectrum against multiple common clinical bacteria. Sequence analysis showed that presence of specific residues has a major role in affecting the antimicrobial and cell toxicity of the hybrids than physicochemical properties. Future studies should continue to investigate the mechanisms of actions, in vivo therapeutic potential, and improve rational peptide design based on the current strategy.
Collapse
|
16
|
Chu HL, Yip BS, Chen KH, Yu HY, Chih YH, Cheng HT, Chou YT, Cheng JW. Novel antimicrobial peptides with high anticancer activity and selectivity. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126390. [PMID: 25970292 PMCID: PMC4430538 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe a strategy to boost anticancer activity and reduce normal cell toxicity of short antimicrobial peptides by adding positive charge amino acids and non-nature bulky amino acid β-naphthylalanine residues to their termini. Among the designed peptides, K4R2-Nal2-S1 displayed better salt resistance and less toxicity to hRBCs and human fibroblast than Nal2-S1 and K6-Nal2-S1. Fluorescence microscopic studies indicated that the FITC-labeled K4R2-Nal2-S1 preferentially binds cancer cells and causes apoptotic cell death. Moreover, a significant inhibition in human lung tumor growth was observed in the xenograft mice treated with K4R2-Nal2-S1. Our strategy provides new opportunities in the development of highly effective and selective antimicrobial and anticancer peptide-based therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Lun Chu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Bak-Sau Yip
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Hao Chen
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Yuan Yu
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Han Chih
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Hsi-Tsung Cheng
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ting Chou
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
- * E-mail: (JWC); (YTC)
| | - Jya-Wei Cheng
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Medical Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan
- * E-mail: (JWC); (YTC)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
High in vitro antibacterial activity of Pac-525 against Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilms cultured on titanium. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:909870. [PMID: 25710035 PMCID: PMC4325973 DOI: 10.1155/2015/909870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In order to investigate the potential of short antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as alternative antibacterial agents during the treatment of peri-implantitis, the cytotoxic activity of three short AMPs, that is, Pac-525, KSL-W, and KSL, was determined using the MTT assay. The antimicrobial activity of these AMPs, ranging in concentration from 0.0039 mg/mL to 0.5 mg/mL, against the predominant planktonic pathogens, including Streptococcus sanguis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis, involved in peri-implantitis was investigated. Furthermore, 2-day-old P. gingivalis biofilms cultured on titanium surfaces were treated with Pac-525 and subsequently observed and analysed using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The average cell proliferation curve indicated that there was no cytotoxicity due to the three short AMPs. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of Pac-525 were 0.0625 mg/mL and 0.125 mg/mL, respectively, for P. gingivalis and 0.0078 mg/mL and 0.0156 mg/mL, respectively, for F. nucleatum. Using CLSM, we confirmed that compared to 0.1% chlorhexidine, 0.5 mg/mL of Pac-525 caused a significant decrease in biofilm thickness and a decline in the percentage of live bacteria. These data indicate that Pac-525 has unique properties that might make it suitable for the inhibition the growth of pathogenic bacteria around dental implants.
Collapse
|
18
|
Wang X, Su H, Chen C, Cao X. Synthesis and biological evaluation of peptidomimetics containing the tryptamine moiety as a potential antitumor agent. RSC Adv 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c4ra16949b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of novel peptidomimetics bearing tryptamine moiety were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their inhibition activities against cell proliferation (HepG2, Huh-7, A875 and BEL-7402/5-FU cell lines).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Wang
- College of Science
- Huazhong Agricultural University
- Wuhan
- China
| | - Haihuan Su
- College of Science
- Huazhong Agricultural University
- Wuhan
- China
| | - Changshui Chen
- College of Science
- Huazhong Agricultural University
- Wuhan
- China
| | - Xiufang Cao
- College of Science
- Huazhong Agricultural University
- Wuhan
- China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Ji S, Li W, Zhang L, Zhang Y, Cao B. Cecropin A-melittin mutant with improved proteolytic stability and enhanced antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi associated with gastroenteritis in vitro. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 451:650-5. [PMID: 25130460 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/10/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Cecropin A-melittin (CAM), a chimeric antimicrobial peptide with potent antimicrobial activity, is threatened by some special extracellular proteases when used to deal with certain drug-resistant pathogenic microbes in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, a four-tryptophan-substitution mutant (CAM-W) from CAM was developed via the replacement of special amino acid residues to enhance the antimicrobial potency and to improve the proteolytic stability of this agent. The pharmaceutical index of CAM-W was investigated, with a focus on biological potency, cytotoxicity, and proteolytic stability, as well as pH and thermal resistance. CAM-W exhibited potent antimicrobial activity and was approximately 3-12 times higher than that of CAM. CAM-W also exhibited a strong antifungal activity against a series of common pathogenic fungi, in a lower IC50 range between 2.1mg/L and 3.3mg/L than that of its reference CAM ranging from 9.8mg/L to 14.2mg/L. Besides, CAM-W showed moderate cytotoxicity (IC50>300mg/L) in erythrocyte lysis test. In addition, CAM-W overcame challenges under various conditions, including specific temperatures (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90°C), pH values (2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, and 9.0), and proteases (trypsin, pepsin, human neutrophil elastase, Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease) that are commonly present in human gastrointestinal tract. These results suggest that the four-tryptophan-substitution can confer CAM-W with a high pharmaceutical index, which is important for CAM-W to become a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics against bacteria and fungi associated with gastroenteritis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shengyue Ji
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Weili Li
- Beijing S&V Science and Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 102200, Beijing, PR China
| | - Lei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yue Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Binyun Cao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Ahn M, Jacob B, Gunasekaran P, Murugan RN, Ryu EK, Lee GH, Hyun JK, Cheong C, Kim NH, Shin SY, Bang JK. Poly-lysine peptidomimetics having potent antimicrobial activity without hemolytic activity. Amino Acids 2014; 46:2259-69. [DOI: 10.1007/s00726-014-1778-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 06/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
21
|
Antimicrobial peptides in reptiles. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2014; 7:723-53. [PMID: 24918867 PMCID: PMC4078517 DOI: 10.3390/ph7060723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2014] [Revised: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Reptiles are among the oldest known amniotes and are highly diverse in their morphology and ecological niches. These animals have an evolutionarily ancient innate-immune system that is of great interest to scientists trying to identify new and useful antimicrobial peptides. Significant work in the last decade in the fields of biochemistry, proteomics and genomics has begun to reveal the complexity of reptilian antimicrobial peptides. Here, the current knowledge about antimicrobial peptides in reptiles is reviewed, with specific examples in each of the four orders: Testudines (turtles and tortosises), Sphenodontia (tuataras), Squamata (snakes and lizards), and Crocodilia (crocodilans). Examples are presented of the major classes of antimicrobial peptides expressed by reptiles including defensins, cathelicidins, liver-expressed peptides (hepcidin and LEAP-2), lysozyme, crotamine, and others. Some of these peptides have been identified and tested for their antibacterial or antiviral activity; others are only predicted as possible genes from genomic sequencing. Bioinformatic analysis of the reptile genomes is presented, revealing many predicted candidate antimicrobial peptides genes across this diverse class. The study of how these ancient creatures use antimicrobial peptides within their innate immune systems may reveal new understandings of our mammalian innate immune system and may also provide new and powerful antimicrobial peptides as scaffolds for potential therapeutic development.
Collapse
|
22
|
Yu HY, Yip BS, Tu CH, Chen HL, Chu HL, Chih YH, Cheng HT, Sue SC, Cheng JW. Correlations between membrane immersion depth, orientation, and salt-resistance of tryptophan-rich antimicrobial peptides. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2013; 1828:2720-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2013.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2013] [Revised: 07/01/2013] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
23
|
Abstract
The efficacies of many antimicrobial peptides are greatly reduced under high salt concentrations, therefore limiting their use as pharmaceutical agents. Here, we describe a strategy to boost salt resistance and serum stability of short antimicrobial peptides by adding the nonnatural bulky amino acid β-naphthylalanine to their termini. The activities of the short salt-sensitive tryptophan-rich peptide S1 were diminished at high salt concentrations, whereas the activities of its β-naphthylalanine end-tagged variants were less affected.
Collapse
|
24
|
Rational design of engineered cationic antimicrobial peptides consisting exclusively of arginine and tryptophan, and their activity against multidrug-resistant pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:2511-21. [PMID: 23507278 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02218-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens underscores the need for new antimicrobial agents to overcome the resistance mechanisms of these organisms. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAPs) provide a potential source of new antimicrobial therapeutics. We previously characterized a lytic base unit (LBU) series of engineered CAPs (eCAPs) of 12 to 48 residues demonstrating maximum antibacterial selectivity at 24 residues. Further, Trp substitution in LBU sequences increased activity against both P. aeruginosa and S. aureus under challenging conditions (e.g., saline, divalent cations, and serum). Based on these findings, we hypothesized that the optimal length and, therefore, the cost for maximum eCAP activity under physiologically relevant conditions could be significantly reduced using only Arg and Trp arranged to form idealized amphipathic helices. Hence, we developed a novel peptide series, composed only of Arg and Trp, in a sequence predicted and verified by circular dichroism to fold into optimized amphipathic helices. The most effective antimicrobial activity was achieved at 12 residues in length (WR12) against a panel of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive clinical isolates, including extensively drug-resistant strains, in saline and broth culture and at various pH values. The results demonstrate that the rational design of CAPs can lead to a significant reduction in the length and the number of amino acids used in peptide design to achieve optimal potency and selectivity against specific pathogens.
Collapse
|
25
|
Bartolucci S, Bartoccini F, Righi M, Piersanti G. Direct, Regioselective, and Chemoselective Preparation of Novel Boronated Tryptophans by Friedel–Crafts Alkylation. Org Lett 2011; 14:600-3. [DOI: 10.1021/ol203216h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Bartolucci
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Piazza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy
| | - Francesca Bartoccini
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Piazza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy
| | - Marika Righi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Piazza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy
| | - Giovanni Piersanti
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Piazza Rinascimento 6, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Pavlov N, Gilles P, Didierjean C, Wenger E, Naydenova E, Martinez J, Calmès M. Asymmetric Synthesis of β2-Tryptophan Analogues via Friedel–Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with a Chiral Nitroacrylate. J Org Chem 2011; 76:6116-24. [DOI: 10.1021/jo200733t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Pavlov
- Institut des Biomolécules
Max Mousseron (IBMM) UMR 5247 CNRS-Université Montpellier 1
et Université Montpellier 2, Bâtiment Chimie (17), Université Montpellier 2, place E. Bataillon,
34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 8
Kliment Ohridski blvd., Sofia 1756, Bulgaria
| | - Pierre Gilles
- Institut des Biomolécules
Max Mousseron (IBMM) UMR 5247 CNRS-Université Montpellier 1
et Université Montpellier 2, Bâtiment Chimie (17), Université Montpellier 2, place E. Bataillon,
34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Claude Didierjean
- Laboratoire de Crystallographie,
Résonance Magnétique et Modélisation, Nancy Université, UMR7036 CNRS-UHP, Boulevard
des Aiguillettes, BPP239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy Cedex,
France
| | - Emmanuel Wenger
- Laboratoire de Crystallographie,
Résonance Magnétique et Modélisation, Nancy Université, UMR7036 CNRS-UHP, Boulevard
des Aiguillettes, BPP239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy Cedex,
France
| | - Emilia Naydenova
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 8
Kliment Ohridski blvd., Sofia 1756, Bulgaria
| | - Jean Martinez
- Institut des Biomolécules
Max Mousseron (IBMM) UMR 5247 CNRS-Université Montpellier 1
et Université Montpellier 2, Bâtiment Chimie (17), Université Montpellier 2, place E. Bataillon,
34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Monique Calmès
- Institut des Biomolécules
Max Mousseron (IBMM) UMR 5247 CNRS-Université Montpellier 1
et Université Montpellier 2, Bâtiment Chimie (17), Université Montpellier 2, place E. Bataillon,
34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| |
Collapse
|