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Wang X, Yang X, Wang Q, Meng D. Unnatural amino acids: promising implications for the development of new antimicrobial peptides. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023; 49:231-255. [PMID: 35254957 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2047008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The increasing incidence and rapid spread of bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics are a serious global threat to public health, highlighting the need to develop new antimicrobial alternatives. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a class of promising natural antibiotic candidates due to their broad-spectrum activity and low tendency to induce resistance. However, the development of AMPs for medical use is hampered by several obstacles, such as moderate activity, lability to proteolytic degradation, and low bioavailability. To date, many researchers have focussed on the optimization or design of novel artificial AMPs with desired properties. Unnatural amino acids (UAAs) are valuable building blocks in the manufacture of a variety of pharmaceuticals, and have been used to develop artificial AMPs with specific structural and physicochemical properties. Rational incorporation of UAAs has become a very promising approach to endow AMPs with strong and long-lasting activity but no toxicity. This review aims to summarize key approaches that have been used to incorporate UAAs to develop novel AMPs with improved properties and better performance. It is anticipated that this review will guide future design considerations for UAA-based antimicrobial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaomin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiaoe Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cosmetic, China National Light Industry, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Demei Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.,Tianjin Gasin-DH Preservation Technology Co., Ltd, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
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2
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Tryptophan, more than just an interfacial amino acid in the membrane activity of cationic cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides. Q Rev Biophys 2022; 55:e10. [PMID: 35979810 DOI: 10.1017/s0033583522000105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Trp is unique among the amino acids since it is involved in many different types of noncovalent interactions such as electrostatic and hydrophobic ones, but also in π-π, π-cation, π-anion and π-ion pair interactions. In membranotropic peptides and proteins, Trp locates preferentially at the water-membrane interface. In antimicrobial or cell-penetrating peptides (AMPs and CPPs respectively), Trp is well-known for its strong role in the capacity of these peptides to interact and affect the membrane organisation of both bacteria and animal cells at the level of the lipid bilayer. This essential amino acid can however be involved in other types of interactions, not only with lipids, but also with other membrane partners, that are crucial to understand the functional roles of membranotropic peptides. This review is focused on this latter less known role of Trp and describes in details, both in qualitative and quantitative ways: (i) the physico-chemical properties of Trp; (ii) its effect in CPP internalisation; (iii) its importance in AMP activity; (iv) its role in the interaction of AMPs with glycoconjugates or lipids in bacteria membranes and the consequences on the activity of the peptides; (v) its role in the interaction of CPPs with negatively charged polysaccharides or lipids of animal membranes and the consequences on the activity of the peptides. We intend to bring highlights of the physico-chemical properties of Trp and describe its extensive possibilities of interactions, not only at the well-known level of the lipid bilayer, but with other less considered cell membrane components, such as carbohydrates and the extracellular matrix. The focus on these interactions will allow the reader to reevaluate reported studies. Altogether, our review gathers dedicated studies to show how unique are Trp properties, which should be taken into account to design future membranotropic peptides with expected antimicrobial or cell-penetrating activity.
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3
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Ghosh P, Nandy T, Singh PC, Ghosh D. Substitution enables significant new decay channels for a non-canonical amino acid. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:17695-17702. [PMID: 35838114 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp00465h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
UV-Vis absorption spectra and emission peaks of indole and 7-fluoroindole are measured and it is observed that 7-fluoroindole quenches the fluorescence signals significantly compared to indole. This observation is elucidated via reconstruction of the potential energy surfaces, determination of the conical intersections, and dynamical studies. It is observed that a single fluorine substitution on indole leads to the appearance of several accessible low-energy conical intersections that cause fast nonradiative decay. In this paper, we have investigated the nonradiative processes of Ind and 7F-Ind theoretically using high-level methods, such as EOM-EE-CCSD, SA-CASSCF, MS-CASPT2/6-311++G(d,p) levels of theory, to study these pathways and their feasibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulami Ghosh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700032, India.
| | - Tonima Nandy
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700032, India.
| | - Prashant C Singh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700032, India.
| | - Debashree Ghosh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700032, India.
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4
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Nandy T, Singh PC. Photophysical Properties of Noncanonical Amino Acid 7-Fluorotryptophan Sharply Different from Those of Canonical Derivative Tryptophan: Spectroscopic and Quantum Chemical Calculations. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:6214-6221. [PMID: 34081478 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c03319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Due to the limited number of naturally existing canonical amino acids, several noncanonical amino acids have been designed to understand the diverse complex biological functions. Fluorinated amino acids are one of the important noncanonical amino acids that have been used to understand the different complex processes of proteins. In this study, the photophysical properties of the noncanonical amino acid 7-fluorotryptophan (7F-Trp) in different solvents have been investigated using extensive spectroscopic as well as quantum chemical calculation methods and compared with those of tryptophan (Trp). The spectroscopic and quantum chemical calculation data suggest that unlike Trp, 7F-Trp can be used to detect the excited-state proton transfer from solvents depending on its acidity, which makes 7F-Trp a potential candidate for sensing the excited-state proton transfer from the solvent molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonima Nandy
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Prashant Chandra Singh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences, Kolkata 700032, India
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Wang Y, Zhang J, Sun Y, Sun L. A Crustin from Hydrothermal Vent Shrimp: Antimicrobial Activity and Mechanism. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:176. [PMID: 33807037 PMCID: PMC8005205 DOI: 10.3390/md19030176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Crustin is a type of antimicrobial peptide and plays an important role in the innate immunity of arthropods. We report here the identification and characterization of a crustin (named Crus1) from the shrimp Rimicaris sp. inhabiting the deep-sea hydrothermal vent in Manus Basin (Papua New Guinea). Crus1 shares the highest identity (51.76%) with a Type I crustin of Penaeus vannamei and possesses a whey acidic protein (WAP) domain, which contains eight cysteine residues that form the conserved 'four-disulfide core' structure. Recombinant Crus1 (rCrus1) bound to peptidoglycan and lipoteichoic acid, and effectively killed Gram-positive bacteria in a manner that was dependent on pH, temperature, and disulfide linkage. rCrus1 induced membrane leakage and structure damage in the target bacteria, but had no effect on bacterial protoplasts. Serine substitution of each of the 8 Cys residues in the WAP domain did not affect the bacterial binding capacity but completely abolished the bactericidal activity of rCrus1. These results provide new insights into the characteristic and mechanism of the antimicrobial activity of deep sea crustins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujian Wang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.W.); (J.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.W.); (J.Z.); (Y.S.)
- School of Ocean, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China
| | - Yuanyuan Sun
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.W.); (J.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Li Sun
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.W.); (J.Z.); (Y.S.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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6
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D’Souza AR, Necelis MR, Kulesha A, Caputo GA, Makhlynets OV. Beneficial Impacts of Incorporating the Non-Natural Amino Acid Azulenyl-Alanine into the Trp-Rich Antimicrobial Peptide buCATHL4B. Biomolecules 2021; 11:421. [PMID: 33809374 PMCID: PMC8001250 DOI: 10.3390/biom11030421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) present a promising scaffold for the development of potent antimicrobial agents. Substitution of tryptophan by non-natural amino acid Azulenyl-Alanine (AzAla) would allow studying the mechanism of action of AMPs by using unique properties of this amino acid, such as ability to be excited separately from tryptophan in a multi-Trp AMPs and environmental insensitivity. In this work, we investigate the effect of Trp→AzAla substitution in antimicrobial peptide buCATHL4B (contains three Trp side chains). We found that antimicrobial and bactericidal activity of the original peptide was preserved, while cytocompatibility with human cells and proteolytic stability was improved. We envision that AzAla will find applications as a tool for studies of the mechanism of action of AMPs. In addition, incorporation of this non-natural amino acid into AMP sequences could enhance their application properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areetha R. D’Souza
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, 111 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA; (A.R.D.); (A.K.)
| | - Matthew R. Necelis
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA; (M.R.N.); (G.A.C.)
| | - Alona Kulesha
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, 111 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA; (A.R.D.); (A.K.)
| | - Gregory A. Caputo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA; (M.R.N.); (G.A.C.)
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
| | - Olga V. Makhlynets
- Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, 111 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA; (A.R.D.); (A.K.)
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Frederiksen N, Hansen PR, Zabicka D, Tomczak M, Urbas M, Domraceva I, Björkling F, Franzyk H. Alternating Cationic-Hydrophobic Peptide/Peptoid Hybrids: Influence of Hydrophobicity on Antibacterial Activity and Cell Selectivity. ChemMedChem 2020; 15:2544-2561. [PMID: 33029927 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The influence of hydrophobicity on antibacterial activity versus the effect on the viability of mammalian cells for peptide/peptoid hybrids was examined for oligomers based on the cationic Lys-like peptoid residue combined with each of 28 hydrophobic amino acids in an alternating sequence. Their relative hydrophobicity was correlated to activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive species, human red blood cells, and HepG2 cells. This identified hydrophobic side chains that confer potent antibacterial activity (e. g., MICs of 2-8 μg/mL against E. coli) and low toxicity toward mammalian cells (<10 % hemolysis at 400 μg/mL and IC50 >800 μg/mL for HepG2 viability). Most peptidomimetics retained activity against drug-resistant strains. These findings corroborate the hypothesis that for related peptidomimetics two hydrophobicity thresholds may be identified: i) it should exceed a certain level in order to confer antibacterial activity, and ii) there is an upper limit, beyond which cell selectivity is lost. It is envisioned that once identified for a given subclass of peptide-like antibacterials such thresholds can guide further optimisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicki Frederiksen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Paul R Hansen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dorota Zabicka
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Tomczak
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Urbas
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, ul. Chełmska 30/34, 00-725, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ilona Domraceva
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, 1006, Riga, Latvia
| | - Fredrik Björkling
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henrik Franzyk
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
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8
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Lachowicz JI, Szczepski K, Scano A, Casu C, Fais S, Orrù G, Pisano B, Piras M, Jaremko M. The Best Peptidomimetic Strategies to Undercover Antibacterial Peptides. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7349. [PMID: 33027928 PMCID: PMC7583890 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Health-care systems that develop rapidly and efficiently may increase the lifespan of humans. Nevertheless, the older population is more fragile, and is at an increased risk of disease development. A concurrently growing number of surgeries and transplantations have caused antibiotics to be used much more frequently, and for much longer periods of time, which in turn increases microbial resistance. In 1945, Fleming warned against the abuse of antibiotics in his Nobel lecture: "The time may come when penicillin can be bought by anyone in the shops. Then there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to non-lethal quantities of the drug make them resistant". After 70 years, we are witnessing the fulfilment of Fleming's prophecy, as more than 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases. Naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides protect all living matter against bacteria, and now different peptidomimetic strategies to engineer innovative antibiotics are being developed to defend humans against bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Izabela Lachowicz
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (B.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Kacper Szczepski
- Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Alessandra Scano
- Department of Surgical Science, OBL Oral Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; (A.S.); (C.C.); (S.F.); (G.O.)
| | - Cinzia Casu
- Department of Surgical Science, OBL Oral Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; (A.S.); (C.C.); (S.F.); (G.O.)
| | - Sara Fais
- Department of Surgical Science, OBL Oral Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; (A.S.); (C.C.); (S.F.); (G.O.)
| | - Germano Orrù
- Department of Surgical Science, OBL Oral Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; (A.S.); (C.C.); (S.F.); (G.O.)
| | - Barbara Pisano
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (B.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Monica Piras
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (B.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Mariusz Jaremko
- Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia;
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9
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Fluorine induced conformational switching and modulation in photophysical properties of 7-fluorotryptophan: Spectroscopic, quantum chemical calculation and molecular dynamics simulation studies. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpap.2020.100011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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10
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Searching for mechanisms of action of antimicrobials. Arch Microbiol 2020; 202:2347-2354. [DOI: 10.1007/s00203-020-01959-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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11
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Arias M, Haney EF, Hilchie AL, Corcoran JA, Hyndman ME, Hancock REW, Vogel HJ. Selective anticancer activity of synthetic peptides derived from the host defence peptide tritrpticin. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183228. [PMID: 32126228 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a diverse family of peptides with the ability to protect their host against microbial infections. In addition to their ability to kill microorganisms, several AMPs also exhibit selective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells and are collectively referred to as anticancer peptides (ACPs). Here a large library of AMPs, mainly derived from the porcine cathelicidin peptide, tritrpticin (VRRFPWWWPFLRR), were assessed for their anticancer activity against the Jurkat T cell leukemia line. These anticancer potencies were compared to the cytotoxicity of the peptides towards normal cells isolated from healthy donors, namely peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and red blood cells (RBCs; where hemolytic activity was assessed). Among the active tritrpticin derivatives, substitution of Arg by Lys enhanced the selectivity of the peptides towards Jurkat cells when compared to PBMCs. Additionally, the side chain length of the Lys residues was also optimized to further enhance the tritrpticin ACP selectivity at low concentrations. The mechanism of action of the peptides with high selectivity involved the permeabilization of the cytoplasmic membrane of Jurkat cells, without formation of apoptotic bodies. The incorporation of non-natural Lys-based cationic amino acids could provide a new strategy to improve the selectivity of other synthetic ACPs to enhance their potential for therapeutic use against leukemia cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Arias
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; Biophysics Group, School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Medellín, Calle 65 No 59A-110, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Evan F Haney
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ashley L Hilchie
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Corcoran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Disease Department, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - M Eric Hyndman
- Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Southern Alberta Institute of Urology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2V 1P9, Canada
| | - Robert E W Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Hans J Vogel
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
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12
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Inokuma T. Asymmetric Synthesis of Unnatural Amino Acid-containing Peptides <i>via</i> Direct Asymmetric Reaction of Peptidyl Compounds. YAKUGAKU ZASSHI 2018; 138:1371-1379. [DOI: 10.1248/yakushi.18-00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tsubasa Inokuma
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University
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13
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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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14
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de Paula VS, Valente AP. A Dynamic Overview of Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Complexes. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23082040. [PMID: 30111717 PMCID: PMC6222744 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23082040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 08/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this narrative review, we comprehensively review the available information about the recognition, structure, and dynamics of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Their complex behaviors occur across a wide range of time scales and have been challenging to portray. Recent advances in nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamics simulations have revealed the importance of the molecular plasticity of AMPs and their abilities to recognize targets. We also highlight experimental data obtained using nuclear magnetic resonance methodologies, showing that conformational selection is a major mechanism of target interaction in AMP families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviane Silva de Paula
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
| | - Ana Paula Valente
- Centro de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Centro Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Jiri Jonas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil.
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15
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Improving the Activity of Trp-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides by Arg/Lys Substitutions and Changing the Length of Cationic Residues. Biomolecules 2018; 8:biom8020019. [PMID: 29671805 PMCID: PMC6023086 DOI: 10.3390/biom8020019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Revised: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute a promising alternative for the development of new antibiotics that could potentially counteract the growing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, the AMP structure⁻function relationships remain unclear and detailed studies are still necessary. The positively charged amino acid residues (Arg and Lys) play a crucial role in the activity of most AMPs due to the promotion of electrostatic interactions between the peptides and bacterial membranes. In this work we have analyzed the antimicrobial and structural properties of several Trp-rich AMPs containing exclusively either Arg or Lys as the positively charged residues. Their antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action were investigated, showing that Lys residues give rise to a reduced antimicrobial potency for most peptides, which was correlated, in turn, with a decrease in their ability to permeabilize the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli. Additionally, the presence of Arg and Lys renders the peptides susceptible to degradation by proteases, such as trypsin, limiting their therapeutic use. Therefore, modifications of the side chain length of Arg and Lys were investigated in an attempt to improve the protease resistance of AMPs. This approach resulted in enhanced stability to trypsin digestion, and in several cases, shorter sidechains conserved or even improved the antimicrobial activity. All together, these results suggest that Arg-to-Lys substitutions, coupled with side chain length modifications, can be extremely useful for improving the activity and stability of AMPs.
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Calorimetry Methods to Study Membrane Interactions and Perturbations Induced by Antimicrobial Host Defense Peptides. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1548:119-140. [PMID: 28013501 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6737-7_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Biological membranes play an important role in determining the activity and selectivity of antimicrobial host defense peptides (AMPs). Several biophysical methods have been developed to study the interactions of AMPs with biological membranes. Isothermal titration calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (ITC and DSC, respectively) are powerful techniques as they provide a unique label-free approach. ITC allows for a complete thermodynamic characterization of the interactions between AMPs and membranes. DSC allows one to study the effects of peptide binding on the packing of the phospholipids in the membrane. Used in combination with mimetic models of biological membranes, such as phospholipid vesicles, the role of different phospholipid headgroups and distinct acyl chains can be characterized. In these protocols the use of ITC and DSC methods for the study of peptide-membrane interactions will be presented, highlighting the importance of membrane model systems selected to represent bacterial and mammalian cells. These studies provide valuable insights into the mechanisms involved in the membrane binding and perturbation properties of AMPs.
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Structural and Dynamic Insights of the Interaction between Tritrpticin and Micelles: An NMR Study. Biophys J 2017; 111:2676-2688. [PMID: 28002744 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.10.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A large number of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) acts with high selectivity and specificity through interactions with membrane lipid components. These peptides undergo complex conformational changes in solution; upon binding to an interface, one major conformation is stabilized. Here we describe a study of the interaction between tritrpticin (TRP3), a cathelicidin AMP, and micelles of different chemical composition. The peptide's structure and dynamics were examined using one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR. Our data showed that the interaction occurred by conformational selection and the peptide acquired similar structures in all systems studied, despite differences in detergent headgroup charge or dipole orientation. Fluorescence and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement experiments showed that the peptide is located in the interface region and is slightly more deeply inserted in 1-myristoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phospho-1'-rac-glycerol (LMPG, anionic) than in 1-lauroyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (LLPC, zwitterionic) micelles. Moreover, the tilt angle of an assumed helical portion of the peptide is similar in both systems. In previous work we proposed that TRP3 acts by a toroidal pore mechanism. In view of the high hydrophobic core exposure, hydration, and curvature presented by micelles, the conformation of TRP3 in these systems could be related to the peptide's conformation in the toroidal pore.
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18
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AmyI-1–18, a cationic α-helical antimicrobial octadecapeptide derived from α-amylase in rice, inhibits the translation and folding processes in a protein synthesis system. J Biosci Bioeng 2016; 122:385-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2016.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Ishida H, Nguyen LT, Gopal R, Aizawa T, Vogel HJ. Overexpression of Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Transmembrane Peptides in Escherichia coli through a Calmodulin-Peptide Fusion System. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:11318-26. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b06781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Ishida
- Biochemistry
Research Group,
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Leonard T. Nguyen
- Biochemistry
Research Group,
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Ramamourthy Gopal
- Biochemistry
Research Group,
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Tomoyasu Aizawa
- Biochemistry
Research Group,
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Hans J. Vogel
- Biochemistry
Research Group,
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
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20
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Arias M, Hoffarth ER, Ishida H, Aramini JM, Vogel HJ. Recombinant expression, antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action of tritrpticin analogs containing fluoro-tryptophan residues. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1858:1012-23. [PMID: 26724205 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 12/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The increase in antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections has prompted significant academic research into new therapeutic agents targeted against these pathogens. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) appear as promising candidates, due their potent antimicrobial activity and their ubiquitous presence in almost all organisms. Tritrpticin is a member of this family of peptides and has been shown to exert a strong antimicrobial activity against several bacterial strains. Tritrpticin's main structural characteristic is the presence of three consecutive Trp residues at the center of the peptide. These residues play an important role in the activity of tritrpticin against Escherichia coli. In this work, a recombinant version of tritrpticin was produced in E. coli using calmodulin as a fusion protein expression tag to overcome the toxicity of the peptide. When used in combination with glyphosate, an inhibitor of the endogenous synthesis of aromatic amino acids, this expression system allowed for the incorporation of fluorinated Trp analogs at very high levels (>90%). The antimicrobial activity of the 4-, 5- and 6-fluoro-Trp-containing tritrpticins against E. coli was as strong as the activity of the native peptide. Similarly, the tritrpticin analogs exhibited comparable abilities to perturb and permeabilize synthetic lipid bilayers as well as the outer and inner membrane of E. coli. Furthermore, the use of 19F NMR spectroscopy established that each individual fluoro-Trp residue interacts differently with SDS micelles, supporting the idea that each Trp in the original tritrpticin plays a different role in the perturbing/permeabilizing activity of the peptide. Moreover, our work demonstrates that the use of fluoro-Trp in solvent perturbation 19F NMR experiments provides detailed site-specific information on the insertion of the Trp residues in biological membrane mimetics. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Antimicrobial peptides edited by Karl Lohner and Kai Hilpert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Arias
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Elesha R Hoffarth
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Hiroaki Ishida
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - James M Aramini
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Hans J Vogel
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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21
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Shagaghi N, Palombo EA, Clayton AHA, Bhave M. Archetypal tryptophan-rich antimicrobial peptides: properties and applications. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 32:31. [PMID: 26748808 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-015-1986-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Drug-resistant microorganisms ('superbugs') present a serious challenge to the success of antimicrobial treatments. Subsequently, there is a crucial need for novel bio-control agents. Many antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show a broad-spectrum activity against bacteria, fungi or viruses and are strong candidates to complement or substitute current antimicrobial agents. Some AMPs are also effective against protozoa or cancer cells. The tryptophan (Trp)-rich peptides (TRPs) are a subset of AMPs that display potent antimicrobial activity, credited to the unique biochemical properties of tryptophan that allow it to insert into biological membranes. Further, many Trp-rich AMPs cross bacterial membranes without compromising their integrity and act intracellularly, suggesting interactions with nucleic acids and enzymes. In this work, we overview some archetypal TRPs derived from natural sources, i.e., indolicidin, tritrpticin and lactoferricin, summarising their biochemical properties, structures, antimicrobial activities, mechanistic studies and potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadin Shagaghi
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia
| | - Enzo A Palombo
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia
| | - Andrew H A Clayton
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia
| | - Mrinal Bhave
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia.
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22
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Arias M, Nguyen LT, Kuczynski AM, Lejon T, Vogel HJ. Position-Dependent Influence of the Three Trp Residues on the Membrane Activity of the Antimicrobial Peptide, Tritrpticin. Antibiotics (Basel) 2014; 3:595-616. [PMID: 27025758 PMCID: PMC4790384 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics3040595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Revised: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute promising candidates for the development of new antibiotics. Among the ever-expanding family of AMPs, tritrpticin has strong antimicrobial activity against a broad range of pathogens. This 13-residue peptide has an unusual amino acid sequence that is almost symmetrical and features three central Trp residues with two Arg residues near each end of the peptide. In this work, the role of the three sequential Trp residues in tritrpticin was studied in a systematic fashion by making a series of synthetic peptides with single-, double- and triple-Trp substitutions to Tyr or Ala. 1H NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated the ability of all of the tritrpticin-analog peptides to interact with negatively-charged membranes. Consequently, most tritrpticin analogs exhibited the ability to permeabilize synthetic ePC:ePG (egg-yolk phosphatidylcholine (ePC), egg-yolk phosphatidylglycerol (ePG)) vesicles and live Escherichia coli bacteria. The membrane perturbation characteristics were highly dependent on the location of the Trp residue substitution, with Trp6 being the most important residue and Trp8 the least. The membrane permeabilization activity of the peptides in synthetic and biological membranes was directly correlated with the antimicrobial potency of the peptides against E. coli. These results contribute to the understanding of the role of each of the three Trp residues to the antimicrobial activity of tritrpticin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Arias
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Leonard T Nguyen
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Andrea M Kuczynski
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Tore Lejon
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UiT-The Artic University of Norway, Tromsø N-9037, Norway.
| | - Hans J Vogel
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
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