1
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Gao B, Li P, Zhu S. Single Deletion Unmasks Hidden Anti-Gram-Negative Bacterial Activity of an Insect Defensin-Derived Peptide. J Med Chem 2024; 67:2512-2528. [PMID: 38335999 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Insect defensins are a large family of antimicrobial peptides primarily active against Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we explore their hidden anti-Gram-negative bacterial potential via a nature-guided strategy inspired by natural deletion variants of Drosophila defensins. Referring to these variants, we deleted the equivalent region of an insect defensin with the first cysteine-containing N-terminus, and the last three cysteine-containing C-terminal regions remained. This 15-mer peptide exhibits low solubility and specifically targets Gram-positive bacteria. Further deletion of alanine-9 remarkably improves its solubility, unmasks its hidden anti-Gram-negative bacterial activity, and alters its states in different environments. Intriguingly, compared with the oxidized form, the 14-mer reduced peptide shows increased activity on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria through a membrane-disruptive mechanism. The broad-spectrum activity and tolerance to high-salt environments and human serum, together with no toxicity to mammalian or human cells, make it a promising candidate for the design of new peptide antibiotics against Gram-negative bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Gao
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety (Chinese Academy of Sciences), National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
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2
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Bolosov IA, Panteleev PV, Sychev SV, Khokhlova VA, Safronova VN, Toropygin IY, Kombarova TI, Korobova OV, Pereskokova ES, Borzilov AI, Ovchinnikova TV, Balandin SV. Design of Protegrin-1 Analogs with Improved Antibacterial Selectivity. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2047. [PMID: 37631261 PMCID: PMC10458893 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Protegrin-1 (PG-1) is a cationic β-hairpin pore-forming antimicrobial peptide having a membranolytic mechanism of action. It possesses in vitro a potent antimicrobial activity against a panel of clinically relevant MDR ESKAPE pathogens. However, its extremely high hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity toward mammalian cells prevent the further development of the protegrin-based antibiotic for systemic administration. In this study, we rationally modulated the PG-1 charge and hydrophobicity by substituting selected residues in the central β-sheet region of PG-1 to design its analogs, which retain a high antimicrobial activity but have a reduced toxicity toward mammalian cells. In this work, eight PG-1 analogs with single amino acid substitutions and five analogs with double substitutions were obtained. These analogs were produced as thioredoxin fusions in Escherichia coli. It was shown that a significant reduction in hemolytic activity without any loss of antimicrobial activity could be achieved by a single amino acid substitution, V16R in the C-terminal β-strand, which is responsible for the PG-1 oligomerization. As the result, a selective analog with a ≥30-fold improved therapeutic index was obtained. FTIR spectroscopy analysis of analog, [V16R], revealed that the peptide is unable to form oligomeric structures in a membrane-mimicking environment, in contrast to wild-type PG-1. Analog [V16R] showed a reasonable efficacy in septicemia infection mice model as a systemic antibiotic and could be considered as a promising lead for further drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilia A. Bolosov
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Pavel V. Panteleev
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Sergei V. Sychev
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Veronika A. Khokhlova
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Victoria N. Safronova
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
| | - Ilia Yu. Toropygin
- V. N. Orekhovich Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana I. Kombarova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (SRCAMB), 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Olga V. Korobova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (SRCAMB), 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Eugenia S. Pereskokova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (SRCAMB), 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Alexander I. Borzilov
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (SRCAMB), 142279 Obolensk, Russia
| | - Tatiana V. Ovchinnikova
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
- Department of Biotechnology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey V. Balandin
- M. M. Shemyakin & Yu. A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (I.A.B.); (P.V.P.); (T.V.O.)
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3
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Chen N, Jiang C. Antimicrobial peptides: Structure, mechanism, and modification. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 255:115377. [PMID: 37099837 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Na Chen
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Cheng Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, 211198, China.
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4
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Dini I, De Biasi MG, Mancusi A. An Overview of the Potentialities of Antimicrobial Peptides Derived from Natural Sources. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:1483. [PMID: 36358138 PMCID: PMC9686932 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11111483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are constituents of the innate immune system in every kind of living organism. They can act by disrupting the microbial membrane or without affecting membrane stability. Interest in these small peptides stems from the fear of antibiotics and the emergence of microorganisms resistant to antibiotics. Through membrane or metabolic disruption, they defend an organism against invading bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. High efficacy and specificity, low drug interaction and toxicity, thermostability, solubility in water, and biological diversity suggest their applications in food, medicine, agriculture, animal husbandry, and aquaculture. Nanocarriers can be used to protect, deliver, and improve their bioavailability effectiveness. High cost of production could limit their use. This review summarizes the natural sources, structures, modes of action, and applications of microbial peptides in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Any restrictions on AMPs' large-scale production are also taken into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Dini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Mancusi
- Department of Food Microbiology, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
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5
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Amyloidogenic Peptides: New Class of Antimicrobial Peptides with the Novel Mechanism of Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105463. [PMID: 35628272 PMCID: PMC9140876 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are recognized as one of the leading causes of death in the world. We proposed and successfully tested peptides with a new mechanism of antimicrobial action “protein silencing” based on directed co-aggregation. The amyloidogenic antimicrobial peptide (AAMP) interacts with the target protein of model or pathogenic bacteria and forms aggregates, thereby knocking out the protein from its working condition. In this review, we consider antimicrobial effects of the designed peptides on two model organisms, E. coli and T. thermophilus, and two pathogenic organisms, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. We compare the amino acid composition of proteomes and especially S1 ribosomal proteins. Since this protein is inherent only in bacterial cells, it is a good target for studying the process of co-aggregation. This review presents a bioinformatics analysis of these proteins. We sum up all the peptides predicted as amyloidogenic by several programs and synthesized by us. For the four organisms we studied, we show how amyloidogenicity correlates with antibacterial properties. Let us especially dwell on peptides that have demonstrated themselves as AMPs for two pathogenic organisms that cause dangerous hospital infections, and in which the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) turned out to be comparable to the MIC of gentamicin sulfate. All this makes our study encouraging for the further development of AAMP. The hybrid peptides may thus provide a starting point for the antibacterial application of amyloidogenic peptides.
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Atomic-Resolution Structures and Mode of Action of Clinically Relevant Antimicrobial Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094558. [PMID: 35562950 PMCID: PMC9100274 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Global rise of infections and deaths caused by drug-resistant bacterial pathogens are among the unmet medical needs. In an age of drying pipeline of novel antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are proven to be valid therapeutics modalities. Direct in vivo applications of many AMPs could be challenging; however, works are demonstrating encouraging results for some of them. In this review article, we discussed 3-D structures of potent AMPs e.g., polymyxin, thanatin, MSI, protegrin, OMPTA in complex with bacterial targets and their mode of actions. Studies on human peptide LL37 and de novo-designed peptides are also discussed. We have focused on AMPs which are effective against drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Since treatment options for the infections caused by super bugs of Gram-negative bacteria are now extremely limited. We also summarize some of the pertinent challenges in the field of clinical trials of AMPs.
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7
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Li B, Ouyang X, Ba Z, Yang Y, Zhang J, Liu H, Zhang T, Zhang F, Zhang Y, Gou S, Ni J. Novel β-Hairpin Antimicrobial Peptides Containing the β-Turn Sequence of -RRRF- Having High Cell Selectivity and Low Incidence of Drug Resistance. J Med Chem 2022; 65:5625-5641. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Li
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xu Ouyang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zufang Ba
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yinyin Yang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingying Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Tianyue Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Fangyan Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Sanhu Gou
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jingman Ni
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU066, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
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8
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Bin Hafeez A, Jiang X, Bergen PJ, Zhu Y. Antimicrobial Peptides: An Update on Classifications and Databases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11691. [PMID: 34769122 PMCID: PMC8583803 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are distributed across all kingdoms of life and are an indispensable component of host defenses. They consist of predominantly short cationic peptides with a wide variety of structures and targets. Given the ever-emerging resistance of various pathogens to existing antimicrobial therapies, AMPs have recently attracted extensive interest as potential therapeutic agents. As the discovery of new AMPs has increased, many databases specializing in AMPs have been developed to collect both fundamental and pharmacological information. In this review, we summarize the sources, structures, modes of action, and classifications of AMPs. Additionally, we examine current AMP databases, compare valuable computational tools used to predict antimicrobial activity and mechanisms of action, and highlight new machine learning approaches that can be employed to improve AMP activity to combat global antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmer Bin Hafeez
- Centre of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan;
| | - Xukai Jiang
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
- National Glycoengineering Research Center, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Phillip J. Bergen
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
| | - Yan Zhu
- Infection and Immunity Program, Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (X.J.); (P.J.B.)
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9
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Dash R, Bhattacharjya S. Thanatin: An Emerging Host Defense Antimicrobial Peptide with Multiple Modes of Action. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041522. [PMID: 33546369 PMCID: PMC7913509 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) possess great potential for combating drug-resistant bacteria. Thanatin is a pathogen-inducible single-disulfide-bond-containing β-hairpin AMP which was first isolated from the insect Podisus maculiventris. The 21-residue-long thanatin displays broad-spectrum activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as against various species of fungi. Remarkably, thanatin was found to be highly potent in inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi at considerably low concentrations. Although thanatin was isolated around 25 years ago, only recently has there been a pronounced interest in understanding its mode of action and activity against drug-resistant bacteria. In this review, multiple modes of action of thanatin in killing bacteria and in vivo activity, therapeutic potential are discussed. This promising AMP requires further research for the development of novel molecules for the treatment of infections caused by drug resistant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachita Dash
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore;
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Surajit Bhattacharjya
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore;
- Correspondence:
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10
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Men WQ, Xu SG, Mou R. Hepatic transcriptome study of Taenia asiatica infection in suckling pigs. Microb Pathog 2020; 152:104598. [PMID: 33157217 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Taenia asiatica is a crucial Taenia that is prevalent in East and Southeast Asia. Domestic pigs and wild boars are essential intermediate hosts for Taenia. Cysticercus larvae are mainly parasitic in the liver of domestic pigs. The Taenia asiatica was collected from Liangmu Township, Duyun City, Guizhou Province. Twelve Yorkshire Suckling pigs of 20 days of age were randomly divided into an experimental and control group of 6 pigs each. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology was used to detect the expression differences of the mRNA transcriptomes in the liver of the experimental and control group at different infection times. Differential genes were analyzed by bioinformatics and verified by Real Time-PCR(RT-PCR). On the 15th and 75th days after infection, 152 and 558 differentially expressed genes were detected in the liver of the experimental group, respectively, accounting for 0.85% and 3.12% of all identified transcribed RNA genes, respectively. Through GO and KEGG related bioinformatics analysis, it was found that these differentially expressed genes are involved in the immune response, material metabolism, fibrosis, and tissue proliferation and repair of suckling pig liver, and related to MHC antigen processing and presentation, cytochrome P450, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway and so on. Cysticercus asiatica parasites cause significant differential gene expression in the liver of suckling pigs. Specific differentially expressed genes are involved in biological processes such as liver metabolism, immune response, and tissue repair or regeneration in suckling pigs. The immune evasion is related to the immuno-suppressive response of the intermediate host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Qi Men
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, China; Characteristic and Key Laboratory of Modern Pathogenic Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Shi-Gang Xu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, China; Characteristic and Key Laboratory of Modern Pathogenic Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Rong Mou
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, China; Characteristic and Key Laboratory of Modern Pathogenic Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, China.
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11
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Sinha S, Ng WJ, Bhattacharjya S. NMR structure and localization of the host defense antimicrobial peptide thanatin in zwitterionic dodecylphosphocholine micelle: Implications in antimicrobial activity. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183432. [PMID: 32781154 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potentially vital as the next generation of antibiotics against multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens. Thanatin, an insect derived pathogen inducible 21-residue long antimicrobial peptide, demonstrates antimicrobial activity toward broad range of pathogens. Thanatin is an excellent candidate for antibiotics development due to potent in vivo activity in animal model and low toxicity to human cells. Recent studies indicated mode of action of thanatin could be intriguing and may comprise bacterial membrane permeabilization and interactions with periplasmic proteins. In order to better understand selectivity and membrane disruption, here, we determined 3-D structure of the thanatin in zwitterionic DPC-d38 micelle by NMR spectroscopy. The depth of insertion of thanatin into micelle structure was investigated by spin labelled doxyl lipids, 5-DSA and 16-DSA. DPC-bound structure of thanatin is defined by a β-hairpin structure and an extended and turn conformations, for residues G1-I8, at the N-terminus. The β-hairpin structure is delineated by two antiparallel β-strands, residues I9-C11 and residues K17-R20, which is connected by loop consisted of residues N12-G16. There are cross β-strands sidechain-sidechain packing interactions among hydrophobic and aromatic residues. Spin labelled lipid studies revealed a set of spatially proximal residues V6, I8, Q19, R20 and M21 may be deeply inserted into the hydrophobic core of the DPC micelle. While, residues including those at the turn/loop are merely surface localized. The atomic resolution structure and orientation of thanatin in zwitterionic DPC micelle may be utilized for understating mode of action in lipid membrane and further development of non-toxic analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheetal Sinha
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore; Interdisciplinary Graduate School, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore; Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141, Singapore
| | - Wun Jern Ng
- Environmental Bio-Innovation Group (EBiG), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Surajit Bhattacharjya
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore.
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12
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Maystrenko A, Feng Y, Akhtar N, Li J. The Addition of a Synthetic LPS-Targeting Domain Improves Serum Stability While Maintaining Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm, and Cell Stimulating Properties of an Antimicrobial Peptide. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1014. [PMID: 32650576 PMCID: PMC7407491 DOI: 10.3390/biom10071014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria and their biofilms are a concern in veterinary and human medicine. Protegrin-1 (PG-1), a potent antimicrobial peptide (AMP) with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties, is considered a potential alternative for conventional antibiotics. AMPs are less stable and lose activity in the presence of physiological fluids, such as serum. To improve stability of PG-1, a hybrid peptide, SynPG-1, was designed. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of PG-1 and the PG-1 hybrid against MDR pathogens was analyzed, and activity after incubation with physiological fluids was compared. The effects of these peptides on the IPEC-J2 cell line was also investigated. While PG-1 maintained some activity in 25% serum for 2 h, SynPG-1 was able to retain activity in the same condition for up to 24 h, representing a 12-fold increase in stability. Both peptides had some antibiofilm activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. While both peptides prevented biofilm formation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), neither could destroy MRSA's pre-formed biofilms. Both peptides maintained activity after incubation with trypsin and porcine gastric fluid, but not intestinal fluid, and stimulated IPEC-J2 cell migration. These findings suggest that SynPG-1 has much better serum stability while maintaining the same antimicrobial potency as PG-1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Julang Li
- Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (A.M.); (Y.F.); (N.A.)
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13
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Rodnin MV, Vasquez-Montes V, Nepal B, Ladokhin AS, Lazaridis T. Experimental and Computational Characterization of Oxidized and Reduced Protegrin Pores in Lipid Bilayers. J Membr Biol 2020; 253:287-298. [PMID: 32500172 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-020-00124-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Protegrin-1 (PG-1), an 18-residue β-hairpin stabilized by two disulfide bonds, is a member of a family of powerful antimicrobial peptides which are believed to act through membrane permeabilization. Here we used a combination of experimental and computational approaches to characterize possible structural arrangements of PG-1 in lipid bilayers mimicking bacterial membranes. We have measured the dose-response function of the PG-1-induced leakage of markers of various sizes from vesicles and found it to be consistent with the formation of pores of two different sizes. The first one allows the release of small dyes and occurs at peptide:lipid ratios < 0.006. Above this ratio, larger pores are observed through which the smallest of dextrans FD4 can be released. In parallel with pore formation, we observe a general large-scale destabilization of vesicles which is probably related to complete rupture of some vesicles. The population of vesicles that are completely ruptured depends linearly on PG-1:lipid ratio. Neither pore size, nor vesicle rupture are influenced by the formation of disulfide bonds. Previous computational work on oxidized protegrin is complemented here by all-atom MD simulations of PG-1 with reduced disulfide bonds both in solution (monomer) and in a bilayer (dimer and octamer). The simulations provide molecular insights into the influence of disulfide bonds on peptide conformation, aggregation, and oligomeric structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mykola V Rodnin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Victor Vasquez-Montes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Binod Nepal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Alexey S Ladokhin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA.
| | - Themis Lazaridis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA. .,Graduate Programs in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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14
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Youssef H, DeWolf CE. Interfacial Self-Assembly of Antimicrobial Peptide GL13K into Non-Fibril Crystalline β-Sheets. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:660-665. [PMID: 31880463 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b03120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The need for new and potent antibiotics in an era of increasing multidrug resistance in bacteria has driven the search for new antimicrobial agents, including the design of synthetic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). While a number of β-sheet forming AMPs have been proposed, their similarity to β-amyloids raises a number of concerns associated with neurodegenerative states. GL13K is an effective, synthetic AMP that selectively folds into β-sheets at anionic interfaces. Moreover, it is one of relatively few AMPs that preferentially fold into β-sheets without bridging disulfides. The interfacial activity of GL13K and its propensity to form amyloid fibrils have not been investigated. Using structural studies at the air/water interface and in the absence of anionic lipids, we demonstrate that while GL13K does form crystalline β-sheets, it does not self-assemble into fibrils. This work emphasizes the requirement for a single charged amino acid in the hydrophobic face to prevent fibril formation in synthetic peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala Youssef
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Centre for NanoScience Research , Concordia University , 7141 Sherbrooke Street West , Montreal H4B 1R6 , Canada
| | - Christine E DeWolf
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Centre for NanoScience Research , Concordia University , 7141 Sherbrooke Street West , Montreal H4B 1R6 , Canada
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15
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Soundrarajan N, Park S, Le Van Chanh Q, Cho HS, Raghunathan G, Ahn B, Song H, Kim JH, Park C. Protegrin-1 cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells positively correlates with the magnitude of conformational changes of the unfolded form upon cell interaction. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11569. [PMID: 31399625 PMCID: PMC6689069 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47955-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcine protegrin-1 (PG-1) is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide (AMP) with potent antimicrobial activities. We produced recombinant PG-1 and evaluated its cytotoxicity toward various types of mammalian cell lines, including embryonic fibroblasts, retinal cells, embryonic kidney cells, neuroblastoma cells, alveolar macrophage cells, and neutrophils. The sensitivity of the different mammalian cells to cytotoxic damage induced by PG-1 differed significantly among the cell types, with retinal neuron cells and neutrophils being the most significantly affected. A circular dichroism analysis showed there was a precise correlation between conformational changes in PG-1 and the magnitude of cytotoxicity among the various cell type. Subsequently, a green fluorescent protein (GFP) penetration assay using positively charged GFPs indicated there was a close correlation between the degree of penetration of charged GFP into cells and the magnitude of PG-1 cytotoxicity. Furthermore, we also showed that inhibition of the synthesis of anionic sulphated proteoglycans on the cell surface decreases the cytotoxic damage induced by PG-1 treatment. Taken together, the observed cytotoxicity of PG-1 towards different membrane surfaces is highly driven by the membrane’s anionic properties. Our results reveal a possible mechanism underlying cell-type dependent differences in cytotoxicity of AMPs, such as PG-1, toward mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suhyun Park
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Quy Le Van Chanh
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hye-Sun Cho
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Govindan Raghunathan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitӓtsstraße 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Byeongyong Ahn
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyuk Song
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jin-Hoi Kim
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chankyu Park
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
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16
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Wang J, Dou X, Song J, Lyu Y, Zhu X, Xu L, Li W, Shan A. Antimicrobial peptides: Promising alternatives in the post feeding antibiotic era. Med Res Rev 2018; 39:831-859. [PMID: 30353555 DOI: 10.1002/med.21542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 292] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), critical components of the innate immune system, are widely distributed throughout the animal and plant kingdoms. They can protect against a broad array of infection-causing agents, such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses, and tumor cells, and also exhibit immunomodulatory activity. AMPs exert antimicrobial activities primarily through mechanisms involving membrane disruption, so they have a lower likelihood of inducing drug resistance. Extensive studies on the structure-activity relationship have revealed that net charge, hydrophobicity, and amphipathicity are the most important physicochemical and structural determinants endowing AMPs with antimicrobial potency and cell selectivity. This review summarizes the recent advances in AMPs development with respect to characteristics, structure-activity relationships, functions, antimicrobial mechanisms, expression regulation, and applications in food, medicine, and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiujing Dou
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Jing Song
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yinfeng Lyu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Xin Zhu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Weizhong Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
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17
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Punekar AS, Samsudin F, Lloyd AJ, Dowson CG, Scott DJ, Khalid S, Roper DI. The role of the jaw subdomain of peptidoglycan glycosyltransferases for lipid II polymerization. Cell Surf 2018; 2:54-66. [PMID: 30046666 PMCID: PMC6053601 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial peptidoglycan glycosyltransferases (PGT) catalyse the essential polymerization of lipid II into linear glycan chains required for peptidoglycan biosynthesis. The PGT domain is composed of a large head subdomain and a smaller jaw subdomain and can be potently inhibited by the antibiotic moenomycin A (MoeA). We present an X-ray structure of the MoeA-bound Staphylococcus aureus monofunctional PGT enzyme, revealing electron density for a second MoeA bound to the jaw subdomain as well as the PGT donor site. Isothermal titration calorimetry confirms two drug-binding sites with markedly different affinities and positive cooperativity. Hydrophobic cluster analysis suggests that the membrane-interacting surface of the jaw subdomain has structural and physicochemical properties similar to amphipathic cationic α -helical antimicrobial peptides for lipid II recognition and binding. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations of the drug-free and -bound forms of the enzyme demonstrate the importance of the jaw subdomain movement for lipid II selection and polymerization process and provide molecular-level insights into the mechanism of peptidoglycan biosynthesis by PGTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avinash S. Punekar
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Firdaus Samsudin
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian J. Lloyd
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | | | - David J. Scott
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, United Kingdom
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Spallation Source and Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Syma Khalid
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - David I. Roper
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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18
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Kozic M, Fox SJ, Thomas JM, Verma CS, Rigden DJ. Large scale ab initio modeling of structurally uncharacterized antimicrobial peptides reveals known and novel folds. Proteins 2018; 86:548-565. [DOI: 10.1002/prot.25473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mara Kozic
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool; Liverpool L69 7ZB U.K
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Bioinformatics Institute; Singapore
| | - Stephen J. Fox
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Bioinformatics Institute; Singapore
| | - Jens M. Thomas
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool; Liverpool L69 7ZB U.K
| | - Chandra S. Verma
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Bioinformatics Institute; Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences; Nanyang Technological University; Singapore
| | - Daniel J. Rigden
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool; Liverpool L69 7ZB U.K
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19
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Structure and Interactions of A Host Defense Antimicrobial Peptide Thanatin in Lipopolysaccharide Micelles Reveal Mechanism of Bacterial Cell Agglutination. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17795. [PMID: 29259246 PMCID: PMC5736615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18102-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defense cationic Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) can kill microorganisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi using various modes of action. The negatively charged bacterial membranes serve as a key target for many AMPs. Bacterial cell death by membrane permeabilization has been well perceived. A number of cationic AMPs kill bacteria by cell agglutination which is a distinctly different mode of action compared to membrane pore formation. However, mechanism of cell agglutinating AMPs is poorly understood. The outer membrane lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or the cell-wall peptidoglycans are targeted by AMPs as a key step in agglutination process. Here, we report the first atomic-resolution structure of thanatin, a cell agglutinating AMP, in complex with LPS micelle by solution NMR. The structure of thanatin in complex with LPS, revealed four stranded antiparallel β-sheet in a ‘head-tail’ dimeric topology. By contrast, thanatin in free solution assumed an antiparallel β-hairpin conformation. Dimeric structure of thanatin displayed higher hydrophobicity and cationicity with sites of LPS interactions. MD simulations and biophysical interactions analyses provided mode of LPS recognition and perturbation of LPS micelle structures. Mechanistic insights of bacterial cell agglutination obtained in this study can be utilized to develop antibiotics of alternative mode of action.
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20
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Amitay M, Goldstein M. Evaluating the peptide structure prediction capabilities of a purely ab-initio method. Protein Eng Des Sel 2017; 30:723-727. [PMID: 29040794 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzx052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
DEEPSAM is a relatively new global optimization algorithm aimed to predict the structure of bio-molecules from sequence, without any additional preliminary assumption. It is an evolutionary algorithm whose mutation operators are built by hybridizing the diffusion equation method, molecular dynamics simulated annealing, and a quasi-Newton local minimization method. The goal of this study was to evaluate the structure prediction capabilities of DEEPSAM by running it upon NMR structures of linear peptides (10-20 residues). The results indicate that DEEPSAM successfully predicted the conformations of these peptides, using modest computing resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Amitay
- Department of Bioinformatics, Jerusalem College of Technology, Havaad Haleumi 21, Jerusalem 9372115, Israel
| | - M Goldstein
- Department of Computer Science, Jerusalem College of Technology, Havaad Haleumi 21, Jerusalem 9372115, Israel
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21
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Strzelecka P, Czaplinska D, Sadej R, Wardowska A, Pikula M, Lesner A. Simplified, serine-rich theta-defensin analogues as antitumour peptides. Chem Biol Drug Des 2017; 90:52-63. [PMID: 28004513 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.12927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
θ-defensins belong to the family of host defence peptides. They are the only known example of cyclic polypeptides in animal proteomes. This study presents the synthesis of simplified θ-defensin analogues with pairs of cysteine replaced either by alanine, leucine or serine residues. Cytotoxicity tests were performed on human mammary epithelial (HB2) and breast cancer (SKBR3, MDA-MB-231) cell lines to determine whether peptides are selectively targeting cancer cells. The effect of these peptides was also evaluated in 3D Matrigel cultures, which are based on extracellular matrix components and therefore closely represent in vivo conditions. Finally, to determine whether analogues are able to sensitize MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells to chemotherapeutics, we co-administrated peptides with cisplatin or doxorubicin hydrochloride also in 3D Matrigel cultures. Additionally, cytotoxicity towards peripheral blood mononuclear cells and haemolytic effect were examined for a chosen representative of synthesized compounds. The results showed that positively charged serine-containing θ-defensin derivatives were more cytotoxic towards breast cancer cells (SKBR3, MDA-MB-231) than towards mammary epithelial cells (HB2). Analogues enhanced the effect of cisplatin and doxorubicin hydrochloride on triple-negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231).
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Strzelecka
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dominika Czaplinska
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Rafal Sadej
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Anna Wardowska
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Michal Pikula
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transplantology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Adam Lesner
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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22
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Edwards IA, Elliott AG, Kavanagh AM, Zuegg J, Blaskovich MAT, Cooper MA. Contribution of Amphipathicity and Hydrophobicity to the Antimicrobial Activity and Cytotoxicity of β-Hairpin Peptides. ACS Infect Dis 2016; 2:442-450. [PMID: 27331141 PMCID: PMC4906375 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.6b00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Bacteria have acquired
extensive resistance mechanisms to protect themselves against antibiotic
action. Today the bacterial membrane has become one of the “final
frontiers” in the search for new compounds acting on novel
targets to address the threat of multi-drug resistant (MDR) and XDR
bacterial pathogens. β-Hairpin antimicrobial peptides are amphipathic,
membrane-binding antibiotics that exhibit a broad range of activities
against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and fungal pathogens. However,
most members of the class also possess adverse cytotoxicity and hemolytic
activity that preclude their development as candidate antimicrobials.
We examined peptide hydrophobicity, amphipathicity, and structure
to better dissect and understand the correlation between antimicrobial
activity and toxicity, membrane binding, and membrane permeability.
The hydrophobicity, pI, net charge at physiological
pH, and amphipathic moment for the β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides
tachyplesin-1, polyphemusin-1, protegrin-1, gomesin, arenicin-3, and
thanatin were determined and correlated with key antimicrobial activity
and toxicity data. These included antimicrobial activity against five
key bacterial pathogens and two fungi, cytotoxicity against human
cell lines, and hemolytic activity in human erythrocytes. Observed
antimicrobial activity trends correlated with compound amphipathicity
and, to a lesser extent, with overall hydrophobicity. Antimicrobial
activity increased with amphipathicity, but unfortunately so did toxicity.
Of note, tachyplesin-1 was found to be 8-fold more amphipathic than
gomesin. These analyses identify tachyplesin-1 as a promising scaffold
for rational design and synthetic optimization toward an antibiotic
candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid A. Edwards
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alysha G. Elliott
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Angela M. Kavanagh
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Johannes Zuegg
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mark A. T. Blaskovich
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Matthew A. Cooper
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road (Building 80), Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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23
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Zughaier SM, Svoboda P, Pohl J. Structure-Dependent Immune Modulatory Activity of Protegrin-1 Analogs. Antibiotics (Basel) 2016; 3:694-713. [PMID: 26097747 PMCID: PMC4472440 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics3040694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Protegrins are porcine antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that belong to the cathelicidin family of host defense peptides. Protegrin-1 (PG-1), the most investigated member of the protegrin family, is an arginine-rich peptide consisting of 18 amino acid residues, its main chain adopting a β-hairpin structure that is linked by two disulfide bridges. We report on the immune modulatory activity of PG-1 and its analogs in neutralizing bacterial endotoxin and capsular polysaccharides, consequently inhibiting inflammatory mediators’ release from macrophages. We demonstrate that the β-hairpin structure motif stabilized with at least one disulfide bridge is a prerequisite for the immune modulatory activity of this type of AMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susu M. Zughaier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Laboratories of Microbial Pathogenesis, Atlanta Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, GA 30033, USA
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +1-404-321-6111 (ext. 12461); Fax: +1-404-329-2210
| | - Pavel Svoboda
- Microchemical and Proteomics Facility, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; E-Mails: (P.S.); (J.P.)
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Jan Pohl
- Microchemical and Proteomics Facility, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; E-Mails: (P.S.); (J.P.)
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
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24
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Panteleev PV, Bolosov IA, Ovchinnikova TV. Bioengineering and functional characterization of arenicin shortened analogs with enhanced antibacterial activity and cell selectivity. J Pept Sci 2015; 22:82-91. [PMID: 26814379 DOI: 10.1002/psc.2843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
New bioengineering approaches are required for development of more active and less toxic antimicrobial peptides. In this study we used β-hairpin antimicrobial peptide arenicin-1 as a template for design of more potent antimicrobials. In particular, six shortened 17-residue analogs were obtained by recombinant expression in Escherichia coli. Besides, we have introduced the second disulfide bridge by analogy with the structure of tachyplesins. As a result, a number of analogs with enhanced activity and cell selectivity were developed. In comparison with arenicin-1, which acts on cell membranes with low selectivity, the most potent and promising its analog termed ALP1 possessed two-fold higher antibacterial activity and did not affect viability of mammalian cells at concentration up to 50 μM. The therapeutic index of ALP1 against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was significantly increased compared with that of arenicin-1 while the mechanism of action remained the same. Like arenicin-1, the analog rapidly disrupt membranes of both stationary and exponential phase bacterial cells and effectively kills multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, ALP1 was shown to bind DNA in vitro at a ratio of 1:1 (w/w). The circular dichroism spectra demonstrated that secondary structures of the shortened analogs were similar to that of arenicin-1 in water solution, but significantly differed in membrane-mimicking environments. This work shows that a strand length is one of the key parameters affecting cell selectivity of β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel V Panteleev
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 16/10, 117997, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ilia A Bolosov
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 16/10, 117997, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana V Ovchinnikova
- Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 16/10, 117997, Moscow, Russia
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25
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AtomicChargeCalculator: interactive web-based calculation of atomic charges in large biomolecular complexes and drug-like molecules. J Cheminform 2015; 7:50. [PMID: 26500704 PMCID: PMC4613891 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-015-0099-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Partial atomic charges are a well-established concept, useful in understanding and modeling the chemical behavior of molecules, from simple compounds, to large biomolecular complexes with many reactive sites. Results This paper introduces AtomicChargeCalculator (ACC), a web-based application for the calculation and analysis of atomic charges which respond to changes in molecular conformation and chemical environment. ACC relies on an empirical
method to rapidly compute atomic charges with accuracy comparable to quantum mechanical approaches. Due to its efficient implementation, ACC can handle any type of molecular system, regardless of size and chemical complexity, from drug-like molecules to biomacromolecular complexes with hundreds of thousands of atoms. ACC writes out atomic charges into common molecular structure files, and offers interactive facilities for statistical analysis and comparison of the results, in both tabular and graphical form. Conclusions Due to high customizability and speed, easy streamlining and the unified platform for calculation and analysis, ACC caters to all fields of life sciences, from drug design to nanocarriers. ACC is freely available via the Internet at http://ncbr.muni.cz/ACC. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13321-015-0099-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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26
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Peptides and Peptidomimetics for Antimicrobial Drug Design. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2015; 8:366-415. [PMID: 26184232 PMCID: PMC4588174 DOI: 10.3390/ph8030366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Revised: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and highlight a few classes of traditional antimicrobial peptides with a focus on structure-activity relationship studies. After first dissecting the important physiochemical properties that influence the antimicrobial and toxic properties of antimicrobial peptides, the contributions of individual amino acids with respect to the peptides antibacterial properties are presented. A brief discussion of the mechanisms of action of different antimicrobials as well as the development of bacterial resistance towards antimicrobial peptides follows. Finally, current efforts on novel design strategies and peptidomimetics are introduced to illustrate the importance of antimicrobial peptide research in the development of future antibiotics.
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