1
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Jiang Z, Huang YH, Kaas Q, Craik DJ, Wang CK. Structure and Activity of Reconstructed Pseudo-Ancestral Cyclotides. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202400124. [PMID: 38632079 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202400124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Cyclotides are cyclic peptides that are promising scaffolds for the design of drug candidates and chemical tools. However, despite there being hundreds of reported cyclotides, drug design studies have commonly focussed on a select few prototypic examples. Here, we explored whether ancestral sequence reconstruction could be used to generate new cyclotides for further optimization. We show that the reconstructed 'pseudo-ancestral' sequences, named Ancy-m (for the ancestral cyclotide of the Möbius sub-family) and Ancy-b (for the bracelet sub-family), have well-defined structures like their extant members, comprising the core structural feature of a cyclic cystine knot. This motif underpins efforts to re-engineer cyclotides for agrochemical and therapeutic applications. We further show that the reconstructed sequences are resistant to temperatures approaching boiling, bind to phosphatidyl-ethanolamine lipid bilayers at micromolar affinity, and inhibit the growth of insect cells at inhibitory concentrations in the micromolar range. Interestingly, the Ancy-b cyclotide had a higher oxidative folding yield than its comparator cyclotide cyO2, which belongs to the bracelet cyclotide subfamily known to be notoriously difficult to fold. Overall, this study provides new cyclotide sequences not yet found naturally that could be valuable starting points for the understanding of cyclotide evolution and for further optimization as drug leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Jiang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Quentin Kaas
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Conan K Wang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
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2
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Mourenza A, Ganesan R, Camarero JA. Resistance is futile: targeting multidrug-resistant bacteria with de novo Cys-rich cyclic polypeptides. RSC Chem Biol 2023; 4:722-735. [PMID: 37799576 PMCID: PMC10549238 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00015j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The search for novel antimicrobial agents to combat microbial pathogens is intensifying in response to rapid drug resistance development to current antibiotic therapeutics. The use of disulfide-rich head-to-tail cyclized polypeptides as molecular frameworks for designing a new type of peptide antibiotics is gaining increasing attention among the scientific community and the pharmaceutical industry. The use of macrocyclic peptides, further constrained by the presence of several disulfide bonds, makes these peptide frameworks remarkably more stable to thermal, biological, and chemical degradation showing better activities when compared to their linear analogs. Many of these novel peptide scaffolds have been shown to have a high tolerance to sequence variability in those residues not involved in disulfide bonds, able to cross biological membranes, and efficiently target complex biomolecular interactions. Hence, these unique properties make the use of these scaffolds ideal for many biotechnological applications, including the design of novel peptide antibiotics. This article provides an overview of the new developments in the use of several disulfide-rich cyclic polypeptides, including cyclotides, θ-defensins, and sunflower trypsin inhibitor peptides, among others, in the development of novel antimicrobial peptides against multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Mourenza
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
| | - Rajasekaran Ganesan
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
| | - Julio A Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy Los Angeles CA90033 USA +1-(323) 442-1417
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles CA90033 USA
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3
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Ho TNT, Turner A, Pham SH, Nguyen HT, Nguyen LTT, Nguyen LT, Dang TT. Cysteine-rich peptides: From bioactivity to bioinsecticide applications. Toxicon 2023; 230:107173. [PMID: 37211058 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Greater levels of insect resistance and constraints on the use of current pesticides have recently led to increased crop losses in agricultural production. Further, the health and environmental impacts of pesticides now restrict their application. Biologics based on peptides are gaining popularity as efficient crop protection agents with low environmental toxicity. Cysteine-rich peptides (whether originated from venoms or plant defense substances) are chemically stable and effective as insecticides in agricultural applications. Cysteine-rich peptides fulfill the stability and efficacy requirements for commercial uses and provide an environmentally benign alternative to small-molecule insecticides. In this article, cysteine-rich insecticidal peptide classes identified from plants and venoms will be highlighted, focusing on their structural stability, bioactivity and production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thao N T Ho
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 1B TL29, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - A Turner
- Molecular Biology Department, University of Texas, 100 E 24th St. Austin, USA
| | - Son H Pham
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 1B TL29, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Ha T Nguyen
- National Key Laboratory of Polymer and Composite Materials, Department of Energy Materials, Faculty of Materials Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Linh T T Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, 280 an Duong Vuong Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Luan T Nguyen
- National Key Laboratory of Polymer and Composite Materials, Department of Energy Materials, Faculty of Materials Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Tien T Dang
- Institute of Applied Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 1B TL29, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
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4
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The flax genome reveals orbitide diversity. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:534. [PMID: 35870878 PMCID: PMC9308333 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08735-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ribosomally-synthesized cyclic peptides are widely found in plants and exhibit useful bioactivities for humans. The identification of cyclic peptide sequences and their precursor proteins is facilitated by the growing number of sequenced genomes. While previous research largely focused on the chemical diversity of these peptides across various species, there is little attention to a broader range of potential peptides that are not chemically identified. Results A pioneering study was initiated to explore the genetic diversity of linusorbs, a group of cyclic peptides uniquely occurring in cultivated flax (Linum usitatissimum). Phylogenetic analysis clustered the 5 known linusorb precursor proteins into two clades and one singleton. Preliminary tBLASTn search of the published flax genome using the whole protein sequence as query could only retrieve its homologues within the same clade. This limitation was overcome using a profile-based mining strategy. After genome reannotation, a hidden Markov Model (HMM)-based approach identified 58 repeats homologous to the linusorb-embedded repeats in 8 novel proteins, implying that they share common ancestry with the linusorb-embedded repeats. Subsequently, we developed a customized profile composed of a random linusorb-like domain (LLD) flanked by 5 conserved sites and used it for string search of the proteome, which extracted 281 LLD-containing repeats (LLDRs) in 25 proteins. Comparative analysis of different repeat categories suggested that the 5 conserved flanking sites among the non-homologous repeats have undergone convergent evolution driven by functional selection. Conclusions The profile-based mining approach is suitable for analyzing repetitive sequences. The 25 LLDR proteins identified herein represent the potential diversity of cyclic peptides within the flax genome and lay a foundation for further studies on the functions and evolution of these protein tandem repeats. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08735-x.
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Kushwaha AK, Dwivedi S, Mukherjee A, Lingwan M, Dar MA, Bhagavatula L, Datta S. Plant microProteins: Small but powerful modulators of plant development. iScience 2022; 25:105400. [PMID: 36353725 PMCID: PMC9638782 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroProteins (miPs) are small and single-domain containing proteins of less than 20 kDa. This domain allows microProteins to interact with compatible domains of evolutionary-related proteins and fine-tuning the key physiological pathways in several organisms. Since the first report of a microProtein in mice, numerous microProteins have been identified in plants by computational approaches. However, only a few candidates have been functionally characterized, primarily in Arabidopsis. The recent success of synthetic microProteins in modulating physiological activities in crops makes these proteins interesting candidates for crop engineering. Here, we comprehensively summarise the synthesis, mode of action, and functional roles of microProteins in plants. We also discuss different approaches used to identify plant microProteins. Additionally, we discuss novel approaches to design synthetic microProteins that can be used to target proteins regulating plant growth and development. We finally highlight the prospects and challenges of utilizing microProteins in future crop improvement programs. MicroProteins (miPs) are small-sized proteins with a molecular weight of 5–20 kDa MiPs can be detected through multiomics and computational approaches MiPs are crucial regulators of plant growth and development MiPs as condensates, synthetic miPs, and limitations
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6
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Jacob B, Vogelaar A, Cadenas E, Camarero JA. Using the Cyclotide Scaffold for Targeting Biomolecular Interactions in Drug Development. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27196430. [PMID: 36234971 PMCID: PMC9570680 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
This review provides an overview of the properties of cyclotides and their potential for developing novel peptide-based therapeutics. The selective disruption of protein–protein interactions remains challenging, as the interacting surfaces are relatively large and flat. However, highly constrained polypeptide-based molecular frameworks with cell-permeability properties, such as the cyclotide scaffold, have shown great promise for targeting those biomolecular interactions. The use of molecular techniques, such as epitope grafting and molecular evolution employing the cyclotide scaffold, has shown to be highly effective for selecting bioactive cyclotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binu Jacob
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
| | - Alicia Vogelaar
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
| | - Enrique Cadenas
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
| | - Julio A. Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
- Correspondence:
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7
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Miniproteins in medicinal chemistry. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 71:128806. [PMID: 35660515 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Miniproteins exhibit great potential as scaffolds for drug candidates because of their well-defined structure and good synthetic availability. Because of recently described methodologies for their de novo design, the field of miniproteins is emerging and can provide molecules that effectively bind to problematic targets, i.e., those that have been previously considered to be undruggable. This review describes methodologies for the development of miniprotein scaffolds and for the construction of biologically active miniproteins.
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8
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Hills E, Woodward TJ, Fields S, Brandsen BM. Comprehensive Mutational Analysis of the Lasso Peptide Klebsidin. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:998-1010. [PMID: 35315272 PMCID: PMC9976627 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to public health, making the development of antibiotics of critical importance. One promising class of potential new antibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), which include klebsidin, a lasso peptide from Klebsiella pneumoniae that inhibits certain bacterial RNA polymerases. We develop a high-throughput assay based on growth inhibition of Escherichia coli to analyze the mutational tolerance of klebsidin. We transform a library of klebsidin variants into E. coli and use next-generation DNA sequencing to count the frequency of each variant before and after its expression, thereby generating functional scores for 320 of 361 single amino acid changes. We identify multiple positions in the macrocyclic ring and the C-terminal tail region of klebsidin that are intolerant to mutation, as well as positions in the loop region that are highly tolerant to mutation. Characterization of selected peptide variants scored as active reveals that each adopts a threaded lasso conformation; active loop variants applied extracellularly as peptides slow the growth of E. coli and K. pneumoniae. We generate an E. coli strain with a mutation in RNA polymerase that confers resistance to klebsidin and similarly carry out a selection with the klebsidin library. We identify a single variant, klebsidin F9Y, that maintains activity against the resistant E. coli when expressed intracellularly. This finding supports the utility of this method and suggests that comprehensive mutational analysis of lasso peptides can identify unique and potentially improved variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Hills
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Tyler J. Woodward
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska 68178, United States
| | - Stanley Fields
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Benjamin M. Brandsen
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska 68178, United States,Correspondence: Benjamin M. Brandsen, , ph. 402 280-2153
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9
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Ershov PV, Mezentsev YV, Ivanov AS. Interfacial Peptides as Affinity Modulating Agents of Protein-Protein Interactions. Biomolecules 2022; 12:106. [PMID: 35053254 PMCID: PMC8773757 DOI: 10.3390/biom12010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of disease-related protein-protein interactions (PPIs) creates objective conditions for their pharmacological modulation. The contact area (interfaces) of the vast majority of PPIs has some features, such as geometrical and biochemical complementarities, "hot spots", as well as an extremely low mutation rate that give us key knowledge to influence these PPIs. Exogenous regulation of PPIs is aimed at both inhibiting the assembly and/or destabilization of protein complexes. Often, the design of such modulators is associated with some specific problems in targeted delivery, cell penetration and proteolytic stability, as well as selective binding to cellular targets. Recent progress in interfacial peptide design has been achieved in solving all these difficulties and has provided a good efficiency in preclinical models (in vitro and in vivo). The most promising peptide-containing therapeutic formulations are under investigation in clinical trials. In this review, we update the current state-of-the-art in the field of interfacial peptides as potent modulators of a number of disease-related PPIs. Over the past years, the scientific interest has been focused on following clinically significant heterodimeric PPIs MDM2/p53, PD-1/PD-L1, HIF/HIF, NRF2/KEAP1, RbAp48/MTA1, HSP90/CDC37, BIRC5/CRM1, BIRC5/XIAP, YAP/TAZ-TEAD, TWEAK/FN14, Bcl-2/Bax, YY1/AKT, CD40/CD40L and MINT2/APP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel V. Ershov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, 119121 Moscow, Russia; (Y.V.M.); (A.S.I.)
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10
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Plant derived cyclic peptides. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:1279-1285. [PMID: 34156400 PMCID: PMC8286818 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic peptides are widespread throughout the plant kingdom, and display diverse sequences, structures and bioactivities. The potential applications attributed to these peptides and their unusual biosynthesis has captivated the attention of researchers for many years. Several gene sequences for plant cyclic peptides have been discovered over the last two decades but it is only recently that we are beginning to understand the intricacies associated with their biosynthesis. Recent studies have focussed on three main classes of plant derived cyclic peptides, namely orbitides, SFTI related peptides and cyclotides. In this mini-review, we discuss the expansion of the known sequence and structural diversity in these families, insights into the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis, the exciting applications which includes a cyclotide currently in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, and new production methods that are being developed to realise the potential of plant cyclic peptides as pharmaceutical or agricultural agents.
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11
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Lei X, Liu S, Zhou R, Meng XY. Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study on Interactions of Cycloviolacin with Different Phospholipids. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:3476-3485. [PMID: 33787269 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c10513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cyclotides are disulfide-rich cyclic peptides isolated from plants, which are extremely stable against thermal and proteolytic degradation, with a variety of biological activities including antibacterial, hemolytic, anti-HIV, and anti-tumor. Most of these bioactivities are related to their preference for binding to certain types of phospholipids and subsequently disrupt lipid membranes. In the present study, we use a cyclotide, cycloviolacin O2 (cyO2), as a model system to investigate its interactions with three lipid bilayers 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (POPE), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (POPG)-doped POPE, and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), to help understand its potential mechanism of action toward the membranes at the molecular level using molecular dynamics simulations. In our simulations, cyO2 repeatedly forms stable binding complexes with the POPE-containing bilayers, while within the same simulation time scale, it "jumps" back and forth on the surface of the POPC bilayer without a strong binding. Detailed analyses reveal that the electrostatic attraction is the main driving force for the initial bindings between cyO2 and the lipids, but with strikingly different strengths in different bilayers. For the POPE-containing bilayers, the charged residues of cyO2 attract both POPE amino and phosphate head groups favorably; meanwhile, its hydrophobic residues are deeply inserted into the lipid hydrophobic tails (core) of the membrane, thus forming stable binding complexes. In contrast, POPC lipids with three methyl groups on the amino head group create a steric hindrance when interacting with cyO2, thus resulting in a relatively difficult binding of cyO2 on POPC compared to POPE. Our current findings provide additional insights for a better understanding of how cyO2 binds to the POPE-containing membrane, which should shed light on the future cyclotide-based antibacterial agent design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Lei
- Institute of Quantitative Biology and Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Shengtang Liu
- Institute of Quantitative Biology and Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ruhong Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Xuan-Yu Meng
- Institute of Quantitative Biology and Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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12
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Lu J, Li Y, Bai Z, Lv H, Wang H. Enzymatic macrocyclization of ribosomally synthesized and posttranslational modified peptides via C-S and C-C bond formation. Nat Prod Rep 2021; 38:981-992. [PMID: 33185226 DOI: 10.1039/d0np00044b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Covering: 2000 to 2020 Ribosomally synthesized and posttranslational modified peptides (RiPPs) are a rapidly growing class of bioactive natural products. Many members of RiPPs contain macrocyclic structural units constructed by modification enzymes through macrocyclization of linear precursor peptides. In this study, we summarize recent progress in the macrocyclization of RiPPs by C-S and C-C bond formation with a focus on the current understanding of the enzymatic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxia Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center of Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Yuqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center of Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Zengbing Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center of Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Hongmei Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center of Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center of Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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13
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Qing R, Tao F, Chatterjee P, Yang G, Han Q, Chung H, Ni J, Suter BP, Kubicek J, Maertens B, Schubert T, Blackburn C, Zhang S. Non-full-length Water-Soluble CXCR4 QTY and CCR5 QTY Chemokine Receptors: Implication for Overlooked Truncated but Functional Membrane Receptors. iScience 2020; 23:101670. [PMID: 33376963 PMCID: PMC7756140 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It was posited that functionalities of GPCRs require full-length sequences that are negated by residue deletions. Here we report that significantly truncated nfCCR5QTY and nfCXCR4QTY still bind native ligands. Receptor-ligand interactions were discovered from yeast 2-hybrid screening and confirmed by mating selection. Two nfCCR5QTY (SZ218a, SZ190b) and two nfCXCR4QTY (SZ158a, SZ146a) were expressed in E. coli. Synthesized receptors exhibited α-helical structures and bound respective ligands with reduced affinities. SZ190b and SZ158a were reconverted into non-QTY forms and expressed in HEK293T cells. Reconverted receptors localized on cell membranes and functioned as negative regulators for ligand-induced signaling when co-expressed with full-length receptors. CCR5-SZ190b individually can perform signaling at a reduced level with higher ligand concentration. Our findings provide insight into essential structural components for CCR5 and CXCR4 functionality, while raising the possibility that non-full-length receptors may be resulted from alternative splicing and that pseudo-genes in genomes may be present and functional in living organisms. Y2H screening reveals ligand interaction from truncated CXCR4 and CCR5 in QTY form Truncated CCR5QTY and CXCR4QTY can be produced in E. coli and bind native ligands Reconverted receptors localize on membranes and regulate cell signaling in HEK293 Our finding indicates potential presence and function for truncated receptors
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Qing
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Fei Tao
- Laboratory of Food Microbial Technology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Pranam Chatterjee
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,The Center for Bits and Atoms, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Gaojie Yang
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Qiuyi Han
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Haeyoon Chung
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jun Ni
- Laboratory of Food Microbial Technology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Bernhard P Suter
- Next Interactions, Inc., 2600 Hilltop Drive, Building B, C332, Richmond, CA 94806, USA
| | - Jan Kubicek
- Cube Biotech, GmbH, Creative Campus, Alfred-Nobel Strasse 10, 40789 Monheim, Germany
| | - Barbara Maertens
- Cube Biotech, GmbH, Creative Campus, Alfred-Nobel Strasse 10, 40789 Monheim, Germany
| | | | - Camron Blackburn
- The Center for Bits and Atoms, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Shuguang Zhang
- Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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14
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Abstract
Cyclotides are naturally occurring microproteins (≈30 residues long) present in several families of plants. All cyclotides share a unique head-to-tail circular knotted topology containing three disulfide bridges forming a cystine knot topology. Cyclotides possess high stability to chemical, physical, and biological degradation and have been reported to cross cellular membranes. In addition, naturally occurring and engineered cyclotides have shown to possess various pharmacologically relevant activities. These unique features make the cyclotide scaffold an excellent tool for the design of novel peptide-based therapeutics by using molecular evolution and/or peptide epitope grafting techniques. In this chapter, we provide protocols to recombinantly produce a natively folded cyclotide making use of a standard bacterial expression system in combination with an intein-mediated backbone cyclization with concomitant oxidative folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jose Campbell
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jingtan Su
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julio A Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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15
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Kan MW, Craik DJ. Discovery of Cyclotides from Australasian Plants. Aust J Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/ch19658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a special issue celebrating the contributions of Professor Paul Alewood to peptide science. We begin by providing a summary of collaborative projects between the Alewood and Craik groups at The University of Queensland and highlighting the impacts of some of these studies. In particular, studies on the discovery, synthesis, structures, and bioactivities of disulfide-rich toxins from animal venoms have led to a greater understanding of the biology of ion channels and to applications of these bioactive peptides in drug design. The second part of the article focuses on plant-derived disulfide-rich cyclic peptides, known as cyclotides, and includes an analysis of the geographical distribution of Australasian plant species that contain cyclotides as well as an analysis of the diversity of cyclotide sequences found in Australasian plants. This should provide a useful resource for researchers to access native cyclotides and explore their chemistry and biology.
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Abstract
This Review explores the class of plant-derived macrocyclic peptides called cyclotides. We include an account of their discovery, characterization, and distribution in the plant kingdom as well as a detailed analysis of their sequences and structures, biosynthesis and chemical synthesis, biological functions, and applications. These macrocyclic peptides are around 30 amino acids in size and are characterized by their head-to-tail cyclic backbone and cystine knot motif, which render them to be exceptionally stable, with resistance to thermal or enzymatic degradation. Routes to their chemical synthesis have been developed over the past two decades, and this capability has facilitated a wide range of mutagenesis and structure-activity relationship studies. In turn, these studies have both led to an increased understanding of their mechanisms of action as well as facilitated a range of applications in agriculture and medicine, as ecofriendly crop protection agents, and as drug leads or scaffolds for pharmaceutical design. Our overall objective in this Review is to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of cyclotides that we hope will stimulate further work on this fascinating family of peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J de Veer
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Meng-Wei Kan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - David J Craik
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
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17
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Reporting a Transcript from Iranian Viola Tricolor, Which May Encode a Novel Cyclotide-Like Precursor: Molecular and in silico Studies. Comput Biol Chem 2019; 84:107168. [PMID: 31791808 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2019.107168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The cyclotides are the largest known family of cyclic proteins, which are found in several plant families including Violaceae. They are circular bioactive peptides consisting of 28-37 amino acids, which possess a cyclic cystine knot (CCK) motif and could be useful in biotechnology and drug design as scaffolds for peptide-based drugs. This study describes our finding of a potentially novel gene transcript from the petals of the Iranian Viola tricolor (V. tricolor) flowers. This study is based on the cDNA screening method employed for isolation of cyclotide precursor genes and in silico analysis. Our study resulted in the finding of a novel cyclotide-like precursor from V. tricolor, which is documented in the NCBI by GenBank accession number: KP065812. The in silico analysis revealed that there are lots of similar sequences in many other plant families and they all exhibit some different features from previously discovered cyclotide precursors. The differences occur particularly in the main cyclotide domain that exists without the usual CCK structure. All of these hypothetical precursors have a conserved ER-signal sequence, a Cysteine (C)-rich sequence forming two zinc finger motifs and a cyclotide-like region containing several conserved elements including two highly conserved C residues. In conclusion, using the cDNA screening method we found a potentially new cyclotide-like precursor gene and in silico studies revealed its significant characteristics that may open up a new research line on the distribution and evolution of cyclotides.
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Jones PM, Mazzio E, Soliman K, George AM. In Silico Investigation of the Binding of MCoTI-II Plant Defense Knottin to the γ-NGF Serine Protease of the 7S Nerve Growth Factor Complex and Biological Activity of Its NGF Mimetic Properties. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:9104-9110. [PMID: 31580077 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b07547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF) is an endogenously produced polypeptide that promotes the differentiation, survival, and repair of neurons in the central and peripheral nervous systems. While trophic proteins hold promise for the treatment of neuronal injury and disease, use of NGF is limited by its large molecular weight, lack of permeability through the blood-brain barrier, and peripheral side effects. Previously, we found that an extract of the Momordica cochinchinensis seed stimulated PC-12 neurite outgrowth. Bioactivity-guided fractioning of the seed extract suggested that the NGF mimetic agent was one of few defined proteins from this plant: one group being the defense Knottins and the other group of the lowest mass is the potent trypsin inhibitor MCoTI-II. Here, the NGF mimetic potential of this latter protein was investigated using two concurrent but different approaches. A biological study used recombinant purified MCoTI-II, which when tested in rat PC-12 cells grown on collagen, failed to initiate outgrowth relative to the positive control 7S NGF. In a separate computational study, the possibility was investigated such that MCoTI-II could exert an effect through binding to the serine protease γ-NGF subunit of the 7S NGF complex, analogous to its binding to its native receptor trypsin. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that MCoTI-II can bind stably to γ-NGF for >350 ns. Modeling indicated that this interaction could sterically inhibit 7S NGF complex formation, potentially altering the equilibrium between inactive complexed and free active NFG protein. In conclusion, the biological study now excludes the MCoTI-II protein as the NGF mimetic factor in the Momordica extract, an important and required step to identify the active component in this seed. On the other hand, the theoretical study has revealed a novel observation that may be of use in the development of strategies to affect NGF activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Jones
- School of Life Sciences , University of Technology Sydney , P.O. Box 123, Broadway , New South Wales 2007 , Australia
| | - Elizabeth Mazzio
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University , 241 Fred Humphries Science Research Facility , Tallahassee , Florida 32307 , United States
| | - Karam Soliman
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences , Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University , 241 Fred Humphries Science Research Facility , Tallahassee , Florida 32307 , United States
| | - Anthony M George
- School of Life Sciences , University of Technology Sydney , P.O. Box 123, Broadway , New South Wales 2007 , Australia
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19
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Huang YH, Du Q, Craik DJ. Cyclotides: Disulfide-rich peptide toxins in plants. Toxicon 2019; 172:33-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2019.10.244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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20
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Hegemann JD, Bobeica SC, Walker MC, Bothwell IR, van der Donk WA. Assessing the Flexibility of the Prochlorosin 2.8 Scaffold for Bioengineering Applications. ACS Synth Biol 2019; 8:1204-1214. [PMID: 31042373 PMCID: PMC6525029 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cyclization is a common strategy to confer proteolytic resistance to peptide scaffolds. Thus, cyclic peptides have been the focus of extensive bioengineering efforts. Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are a superfamily of peptidic natural products that often contain macrocycles. In the RiPP family of lanthipeptides, macrocyclization is accomplished through formation of thioether cross-links between cysteines and dehydrated serines/threonines. The recent production of lanthipeptide libraries and development of methods to display lanthipeptides on yeast or phage highlights their potential for bioengineering and synthetic biology. In this regard, the prochlorosins are especially promising as the corresponding class II lanthipeptide synthetase ProcM matures numerous precursor peptides with diverse core peptide sequences. To facilitate future bioengineering projects, one of its native substrates, ProcA2.8, was subjected in this study to in-depth mutational analysis to test the limitations of ProcM-mediated cyclization. Alanine scan mutagenesis was performed on all residues within the two rings, and multiple prolines were introduced at various positions. Moreover, mutation, deletion, and insertion of residues in the region linking the two lanthionine rings was tested. Additional residues were also introduced or deleted from either ring, and inversion of ring forming residues was attempted to generate diastereomers. The findings were used for epitope grafting of the RGD integrin binding epitope within prochlorosin 2.8, resulting in a low nanomolar affinity binder of the αvβ3 integrin that was more stable toward proteolysis and displayed higher affinity than the linear counterpart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian D. Hegemann
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Silvia C. Bobeica
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Mark C. Walker
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Ian R. Bothwell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Wilfred A. van der Donk
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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21
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Camarero JA, Campbell MJ. The Potential of the Cyclotide Scaffold for Drug Development. Biomedicines 2019; 7:biomedicines7020031. [PMID: 31010257 PMCID: PMC6631875 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines7020031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclotides are a novel class of micro-proteins (≈30-40 residues long) with a unique topology containing a head-to-tail cyclized backbone structure further stabilized by three disulfide bonds that form a cystine knot. This unique molecular framework makes them exceptionally stable to physical, chemical, and biological degradation compared to linear peptides of similar size. The cyclotides are also highly tolerant to sequence variability, aside from the conserved residues forming the cystine knot, and are orally bioavailable and able to cross cellular membranes to modulate intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs), both in vitro and in vivo. These unique properties make them ideal scaffolds for many biotechnological applications, including drug discovery. This review provides an overview of the properties of cyclotides and their potential for the development of novel peptide-based therapeutics. The selective disruption of PPIs still remains a very challenging task, as the interacting surfaces are relatively large and flat. The use of the cell-permeable highly constrained polypeptide molecular frameworks, such as the cyclotide scaffold, has shown great promise, as it provides unique pharmacological properties. The use of molecular techniques, such as epitope grafting, and molecular evolution have shown to be highly effective for the selection of bioactive cyclotides. However, despite successes in employing cyclotides to target PPIs, some of the challenges to move them into the clinic still remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio A Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA.
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA.
| | - Maria Jose Campbell
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA.
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22
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Using backbone-cyclized Cys-rich polypeptides as molecular scaffolds to target protein-protein interactions. Biochem J 2019; 476:67-83. [PMID: 30635453 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The use of disulfide-rich backbone-cyclized polypeptides, as molecular scaffolds to design a new generation of bioimaging tools and drugs that are potent and specific, and thus might have fewer side effects than traditional small-molecule drugs, is gaining increasing interest among the scientific and in the pharmaceutical industries. Highly constrained macrocyclic polypeptides are exceptionally more stable to chemical, thermal and biological degradation and show better biological activity when compared with their linear counterparts. Many of these relatively new scaffolds have been also found to be highly tolerant to sequence variability, aside from the conserved residues forming the disulfide bonds, able to cross cellular membranes and modulate intracellular protein-protein interactions both in vitro and in vivo These properties make them ideal tools for many biotechnological applications. The present study provides an overview of the new developments on the use of several disulfide-rich backbone-cyclized polypeptides, including cyclotides, θ-defensins and sunflower trypsin inhibitor peptides, in the development of novel bioimaging reagents and therapeutic leads.
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23
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Blanco MJ. Building upon Nature's Framework: Overview of Key Strategies Toward Increasing Drug-Like Properties of Natural Product Cyclopeptides and Macrocycles. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 2001:203-233. [PMID: 31134573 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9504-2_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The pharmaceutical industry has focused mainly in the development of small-molecule entities intended for oral administration for the past decades. As a result, the majority of existing drugs address only a narrow range of biological targets. In the era of post-genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, there is an increasing interest on larger modulators of proteins that can span larger surfaces, access new therapeutic mechanisms of action, and provide greater target specificity. Traditional drug-like molecules developed using "rule-of-five" (Ro5) guidelines have been proven ineffective against a variety of challenging targets, such as protein-protein interactions, nucleic acid complexes, and antibacterial modalities. However, natural products are known to be effective at modulating such targets, leading to a renewed focus by medicinal chemists on investigating underrepresented chemical scaffolds associated with natural products. Here we describe recent efforts toward identification of novel natural cyclopeptides and macrocycles as well as selected medicinal chemistry strategies to increase drug-like properties or further exploration of their activity.
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Rubio‐Cervilla J, Frisch H, Barner‐Kowollik C, Pomposo JA. Synthesis of Single‐Ring Nanoparticles Mimicking Natural Cyclotides by a Stepwise Folding‐Activation‐Collapse Process. Macromol Rapid Commun 2018; 40:e1800491. [DOI: 10.1002/marc.201800491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jon Rubio‐Cervilla
- Centro de Física de Materiales (CSIC, UPV/EHU) – MPC Materials Physics Center Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5 20018 San Sebastian Spain
| | - Hendrik Frisch
- School of Chemistry Physics and Mechanical Engineering Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 2 George Street QLD 4000 Brisbane Australia
| | - Christopher Barner‐Kowollik
- School of Chemistry Physics and Mechanical Engineering Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 2 George Street QLD 4000 Brisbane Australia
- Macromolecular Architectures Institut für Technische Chemie und Polymerchemie Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Engesserstrasse 18 76131 Karlsruhe Germany
| | - José A. Pomposo
- Centro de Física de Materiales (CSIC, UPV/EHU) – MPC Materials Physics Center Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5 20018 San Sebastian Spain
- Departamento de Física de Materiales Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU) Apartado 1072 20080 San Sebastian Spain
- IKERBASQUE – Basque Foundation for Science María Díaz de Haro 3 48013 Bilbao Spain
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25
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Parsley NC, Kirkpatrick CL, Crittenden CM, Rad JG, Hoskin DW, Brodbelt JS, Hicks LM. PepSAVI-MS reveals anticancer and antifungal cycloviolacins in Viola odorata. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2018; 152:61-70. [PMID: 29734037 PMCID: PMC6003877 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2018.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Widespread resistance to antimicrobial and cancer therapeutics is evolving in every country worldwide and has a direct impact on global health, agriculture and the economy. The specificity and selectivity of bioactive peptide natural products present a possible stopgap measure to address the ongoing deficit of new therapeutic compounds. PepSAVI-MS (Statistically-guided bioActive Peptides prioritized VIa Mass Spectrometry) is an adaptable method for the analysis of natural product libraries to rapidly identify bioactive peptides. This pipeline was validated via screening of the cyclotide-rich botanical species Viola odorata and identification of the known antimicrobial and anticancer cyclotide cycloviolacin O2. Herein we present and validate novel bioactivities of the anthelmintic V. odorata cyclotide, cycloviolacin O8 (cyO8), including micromolar anticancer activity against PC-3 prostate, MDA-MB-231 breast, and OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cell lines and antifungal activity against the agricultural pathogen Fusarium graminearum. A reduction/alkylation strategy in tandem with PepSAVI-MS analysis also revealed several previously uncharacterized putatively bioactive cyclotides. Downstream implementation of ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) tandem mass spectrometry is demonstrated for cyO8 as a method to address traditionally difficult-to-sequence cyclotide species. This work emphasizes the therapeutic and agricultural potential of natural product bioactive peptides and the necessity of developing robust analytical tools to deconvolute nature's complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole C Parsley
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - David W Hoskin
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada; Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | | | - Leslie M Hicks
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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26
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Bhati KK, Blaakmeer A, Paredes EB, Dolde U, Eguen T, Hong SY, Rodrigues V, Straub D, Sun B, Wenkel S. Approaches to identify and characterize microProteins and their potential uses in biotechnology. Cell Mol Life Sci 2018; 75:2529-2536. [PMID: 29670998 PMCID: PMC6003976 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2818-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
MicroProteins are small proteins that contain a single protein domain and are related to larger, often multi-domain proteins. At the molecular level, microProteins act by interfering with the formation of higher order protein complexes. In the past years, several microProteins have been identified in plants and animals that strongly influence biological processes. Due to their ability to act as dominant regulators in a targeted manner, microProteins have a high potential for biotechnological use. In this review, we present different ways in which microProteins are generated and we elaborate on techniques used to identify and characterize them. Finally, we give an outlook on possible applications in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaushal Kumar Bhati
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Anko Blaakmeer
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Esther Botterweg Paredes
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Ulla Dolde
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Tenai Eguen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Shin-Young Hong
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Vandasue Rodrigues
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Daniel Straub
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Bin Sun
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Stephan Wenkel
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
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Valeur E, Jimonet P. New Modalities, Technologies, and Partnerships in Probe and Lead Generation: Enabling a Mode-of-Action Centric Paradigm. J Med Chem 2018; 61:9004-9029. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Valeur
- Medicinal Chemistry, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal 431 83, Sweden
| | - Patrick Jimonet
- External Innovation Drug Discovery, Global Business Development & Licensing, Sanofi, 13 quai Jules Guesde, 94400 Vitry-sur-Seine, France
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28
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Hegemann JD, van der Donk WA. Investigation of Substrate Recognition and Biosynthesis in Class IV Lanthipeptide Systems. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:5743-5754. [PMID: 29633842 PMCID: PMC5932250 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b01323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lanthipeptides belong to the family of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) and are subdivided into four classes. The first two classes have been heavily studied, but less is known about classes III and IV. The lanthipeptide synthetases of classes III and IV share a similar organization of protein domains: A lyase domain at the N-terminus, a central kinase domain, and a C-terminal cyclase domain. Here, we provide deeper insight into class IV enzymes (LanLs). A series of putative producer strains was screened to identify production conditions of four new venezuelin-like lanthipeptides, and an Escherichia coli based heterologous production system was established for a fifth. The latter not only allowed production of fully modified core peptide but was also employed as the basis for mutational analysis of the precursor peptide to identify regions important for enzyme recognition. These experiments were complemented by in vitro binding studies aimed at identifying the region of the leader peptide recognized by the LanL enzymes as well as determining which domain of the enzyme is recognizing the substrate peptide. Combined, these studies revealed that the kinase domain is mediating the interaction with the precursor peptide and that a putatively α-helical stretch of residues at the center to N-terminal region of the leader peptide is important for enzyme recognition. In addition, a combination of in vitro assays and tandem mass spectrometry was used to elucidate the order of dehydration events in these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian D Hegemann
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Chemistry , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 600 South Mathews Avenue , Urbana, Illinois 61801 , United States
| | - Wilfred A van der Donk
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Chemistry , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 600 South Mathews Avenue , Urbana, Illinois 61801 , United States
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29
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Chemical Synthesis and Functional Analysis of VarvA Cyclotide. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23040952. [PMID: 29671790 PMCID: PMC6017059 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23040952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclotides are circular peptides found in various plant families. A cyclized backbone, together with multiple disulfide bonds, confers the peptides’ exceptional stability against protease digestion and thermal denaturation. In addition, the features of these antimicrobial molecules make them suitable for use in animal farming, such as aquaculture. Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis on 2-chlorotrityl chlorine (CTC) resin using the “tea-bag” approach was conducted to generate the VarvA cyclotide identified previously from Viola arvensis. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry determined the correct peptide amino acid sequence and the cyclization sites-critical in this multicyclic compound. The cyclotide showed antimicrobial activity against various Gram-negative bacteria, including recurrent pathogens present in Chilean aquaculture. The highest antimicrobial activity was found to be against Flavobacterium psychrophilum. In addition, membrane blebbing on the bacterial surface after exposure to the cyclotide was visualized by SEM microscopy and the Sytox Green permeabilization assay showed the ability to disrupt the bacterial membrane. We postulate that this compound can be proposed for the control of fish farming infections.
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