Circular dichroism studies of ampullosporin-A analogues

How are 1,2,3-triazoles accommodated in helical secondary structures?

1,4-Disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole (Tz) is widely used in peptides as a trans-amide bond mimic, despite having hazardous effects on the native peptide activity. The impact of amide bond substitution by Tz on peptide secondary structures is scarcely documented. We performed a Tz scan, by systematically replacing peptide bonds following the Aib residues with Tz on two model peptaibols: alamethicin F50/5 and bergofungin D, which adopt stable α- and 310 helices, respectively. We observed that the Tz insertion, whatever its position in the peptide sequences, abolished their antimicrobial activity. The structural consequences of this insertion were further investigated using CD, NMR and X-ray diffraction. Importantly, five crystal structures that were incorporated with Tz were solved, showing various degrees of alteration of the helical structures, from minor structural perturbation of the helix to partial disorder. Together, these results showed that Tz insertions impair helical secondary structures.

An EPR study of ampullosporin A, a medium-length peptaibiotic, in bicelles and vesicles

EPR/CD spectroscopies reveal that the peptaibol ampullosporin A changes the orientation and conformation depending on its concentration and bilayer thickness.

Biophysical characterization of the type III secretion tip proteins and the tip proteins attached to bacterium-like particles

Bacterium-like particles (BLPs), derived from Lactococcus lactis, offer a self-adjuvanting delivery vehicle for subunit protein vaccines. Proteins can be specifically loaded onto the BLPs via a peptidoglycan anchoring (PA) domain. In this study, the tip proteins IpaD, SipD, and LcrV belonging to type III secretion systems of Shigella flexneri, Salmonella enterica, and Yersinia enterocolitica, respectively, were fused to the PA and loaded onto the BLPs. Herein, we biophysically characterized these nine samples and condensed the spectroscopic results into three-index empirical phase diagrams (EPDs). The EPDs show distinctions between the IpaD/SipD and LcrV subfamilies of tip proteins, based on their physical stability, even upon addition of the PA. Upon attachment to the BLPs, the BLPs become defining moiety in the spectroscopic measurements, leaving the tip proteins to have a subtle yet modulating effect on the structural integrity of the tip proteins-BLPs binding. In summary, this work provides a comprehensive view of physical stability of the tip proteins and tip protein-BLPs and serves as a baseline for screening of excipients to increase the stability of the tip protein-BLPs for future vaccine formulation.

Exploring the membrane mechanism of the bioactive peptaibol ampullosporin a using lipid monolayers and supported biomimetic membranes

Ampullosporin A is an antimicrobial, neuroleptic peptaibol, the behavior of which was investigated in different membrane mimetic environments made of egg yolk L-α-phosphatidylcholine. In monolayers, the peptaibol adopted a mixed α/3(10)-helical structure with an in-plane orientation. The binding step was followed by the peptide insertion into the lipid monolayer core. The relevance of the inner lipid leaflet nature was studied by comparing ampullosporin binding on a hybrid bilayer, in which this leaflet was a rigid alkane layer, and on supported fluid lipid bilayers. The membrane binding was examined by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy and the effect on lipid dynamics was explored using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. In the absence of voltage and at low concentration, ampullosporin A substantially adsorbed onto lipid surfaces and its interaction with biomimetic models was strongly modified depending on the inner leaflet structure. At high concentration, ampullosporin A addition led to the lipid bilayers disruption.

Broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and high stability of Trichokonins from Trichoderma koningii SMF2 against plant pathogens

Antimicrobial metabolites produced by Trichoderma koningii SMF2 exhibited antimicrobial activity against a range of Gram-positive bacterial and fungal phytopathogens. Purification of these metabolites was achieved using combinations of gel filtration and high-performance liquid chromatography. Identified by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, the active metabolites proved to be three known peptaibols: Trichokonin VI, VII and VIII. The Trichokonins were stable and remained biological active over a wide pH range and at every temperature tested, showing no loss of activity even after autoclaving. Trichokonins were insensitive to proteolytic enzymes. Trichokonin VI takes on typical helical structure and the structure changes only slightly at different temperatures and pH values. The present study presented the potential of Trichokonins to be used as biological control agents.

Structure Determination of Neoefrapeptins A to N: Peptides with Insecticidal Activity Produced by the Fungus Geotrichum candidum

The structures of neoefrapeptins A to N, peptides with insecticidal activity, were elucidated. They showed a close similarity to efrapeptin. However, all neoefrapeptins contained the very rare amino acid 1-amino-cyclopropane-carboxylic acid and some of them also contained (2S,3S)-3-methylproline. The neoefrapeptins are the first case, in which these amino acids are found as building blocks for linear peptides. They were identified by comparison of the silylated hydrolyzate to reference material by GC/MS (EI-mode). The sequence was elucidated using mass spectrometry (ESI+ mode). Full scan spectra showed two fragments in high yield, even under mild ionization conditions. MS/MS spectra of these two fragments yielded fragment rich spectra from which the sequence of the compounds was determined almost completely. The proteolytic cleavage with the proteinase papain yielded products that allowed to prove the rest of the sequence and the identity of the C-terminus to efrapeptin. The proteolytic cleavage products allowed furthermore to determine the position of the isobaric amino acids, pipecolic acid and 3-methylproline in neoefrapeptin F, as well as the location of R-isovaline and S-isovaline. Papain digestion was such established as a tool for structure elucidation of peptides rich in alpha,alpha-dialkylated amino acids. CD spectra suggested a 3(10) helical structure for neoefrapeptins A and F.

Tuning the biological properties of amphipathic alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides: rational use of minimal amino acid substitutions

In nature, alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides present the small and flexible residue glycine at positions 7 or 14 with a significant frequency. Based on the sequence of the non-proteinogenic alpha-helical model peptide P1(Aib7), with a potent, broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, six peptides were designed by effecting a single amino acid substitution to investigate how tuning the structural characteristics at position 7 could lead to optimization of selectivity without affecting antimicrobial activity against a broad panel of multidrug resistant bacterial and yeast indicator strains. The relationship between structural features (size/hydrophobicity of the side chain as well as conformation and flexibility) and biological activity, in terms of minimum inhibitory concentration, membrane permeabilization kinetics and lysis of red blood cells are discussed. On conversion of the peptide to proteinogenic residues, these principles allowed development of a potent antimicrobial peptide with a reduced cytotoxicity. However, while results suggest that both hydrophobicity of residue 7 and chain flexibility at this position can be modulated to improve selectivity, position 14 is less tolerant of substitutions.

Analysis of the lipophilic peptaibol alamethicin by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

The microheterogeneous peptaibol alamethicin F30 isolated from the culture broth of Trichoderma viride was analyzed by nonaqueous CE-electrospray-MS using an IT and a TOF mass analyzer. Compared to aqueous buffers, higher separation selectivity was observed for methanolic BGE allowing the detection of more minor components. The low electrophoretic mobility observed for neutral analytes under nonaqueous conditions may be explained by ion-dipole interactions between the peptide analytes and electrolyte ions. The amino acid sequences of the individual components were derived from MS(n) using the doubly or triply charged pseudomolecular ions as well as characteristic fragments as precursor ions. The exchange of Ala by alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) which is frequently observed for peptaibols was detected for several components. Additional variations included the exchange of Gln to Glu, and the loss of the C-terminal amino alcohol or of the first six amino acids from the N-terminus with concomitant formation of pyroglutamyl residues. In most cases comigration of the Aib peptaibols with the respective Ala component was observed as the mass difference of 14 Da as the result of the amino acid exchange was not sufficient to translate into an electrophoretic separation under the conditions applied. However, proper selection of the precursor ions allowed the unequivocal analysis of the components. Additional TOF-MS measurements were performed in order to resolve the ammonium adducts from comigrating compounds (i.e., Aib-Ala exchange) and to confirm the amino acid composition of the individual components. Except for neutral compounds migrating close to the EOF the mass accuracy was better than 4 ppm for the doubly charged pseudomolecular ions and better than 2 ppm for triply charged ions.

Membrane association and activity of 15/16-membered peptide antibiotics: zervamicin IIB, ampullosporin A and antiamoebin I

Permeabilization of the phospholipid membrane, induced by the antibiotic peptides zervamicin IIB (ZER), ampullosporin A (AMP) and antiamoebin I (ANT) was investigated in a vesicular model system. Membrane-perturbing properties of these 15/16 residue peptides were examined by measuring the K(+) transport across phosphatidyl choline (PC) membrane and by dissipation of the transmembrane potential. The membrane activities are found to decrease in the order ZER>AMP>>ANT, which correlates with the sequence of their binding affinities. To follow the insertion of the N-terminal Trp residue of ZER and AMP, the environmental sensitivity of its fluorescence was explored as well as the fluorescence quenching by water-soluble (iodide) and membrane-bound (5- and 16-doxyl stearic acids) quenchers. In contrast to AMP, the binding affinity of ZER as well as the depth of its Trp penetration is strongly influenced by the thickness of the membrane (diC(16:1)PC, diC(18:1)PC, C(16:0)/C(18:1)PC, diC(20:1)PC). In thin membranes, ZER shows a higher tendency to transmembrane alignment. In thick membranes, the in-plane surface association of these peptaibols results in a deeper insertion of the Trp residue of AMP which is in agreement with model calculations on the localization of both peptide molecules at the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interface. The observed differences between the membrane affinities/activities of the studied peptaibols are discussed in relation to their hydrophobic and amphipathic properties.