1
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Rangubpit W, Sungted S, Wong-Ekkabut J, Distaffen HE, Nilsson BL, Dias CL. Pore Formation by Amyloid-like Peptides: Effects of the Nonpolar-Polar Sequence Pattern. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 39172951 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the mechanisms accounting for the toxicity of amyloid peptides in diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's is the formation of pores on the plasma membrane of neurons. Here, we perform unbiased all-atom simulations of the full membrane damaging pathway, which includes adsorption, aggregation, and perforation of the lipid bilayer accounting for pore-like structures. Simulations are performed using four peptides made with the same amino acids. Differences in the nonpolar-polar sequence pattern of these peptides prompt them to adsorb into the membrane with the extended conformations oriented either parallel [peptide labeled F1, Ac-(FKFE)2-NH2], perpendicular (F4, Ac-FFFFKKEE-NH2), or with an intermediate orientation (F2, Ac-FFKKFFEE-NH2, and F3, Ac-FFFKFEKE-NH2) in regard to the membrane surface. At the water-lipid interface, only F1 fully self-assembles into β-sheets, and F2 peptides partially fold into an α-helical structure. The β-sheets of F1 emerge as electrostatic interactions attract neighboring peptides to intermediate distances where nonpolar side chains can interact within the dry core of the bilayer. This complex interplay between electrostatic and nonpolar interactions is not observed for the other peptides. Although β-sheets of F1 peptides are mostly parallel to the membrane, some of their edges penetrate deep inside the bilayer, dragging water molecules with them. This precedes pore formation, which starts with the flow of two water layers through the membrane that expand into a stable cylindrical pore delimited by polar faces of β-sheets spanning both leaflets of the bilayer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warin Rangubpit
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Siwaporn Sungted
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Computational Biomodelling Laboratory for Agricultural Science and Technology (CBLAST), Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Jirasak Wong-Ekkabut
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Computational Biomodelling Laboratory for Agricultural Science and Technology (CBLAST), Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Hannah E Distaffen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
| | - Bradley L Nilsson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0216, United States
- Materials Science Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0166, United States
| | - Cristiano L Dias
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
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2
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Salgado KDCB, Nascimento RGDF, Coelho PJFN, Oliveira LAM, Nogueira KOPC. Cannabidiol protects mouse hippocampal neurons from neurotoxicity induced by amyloid β-peptide 25-35. Toxicol In Vitro 2024; 99:105880. [PMID: 38901785 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia worldwide, is a significant health concern, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The neuropathological diagnostic criteria for AD are based on the deposition of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and the formation of intracellular tau protein tangles. These proteins are associated with several overlapping neurodegenerative mechanisms, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, lipid peroxidation, reduced neuronal viability, and cell death. In this context, our study focuses on the potential therapeutic use of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic cannabinoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We aim to evaluate CBD's neuroprotective role, particularly in protecting hippocampal neurons from Aβ25-35-induced toxicity. Our findings indicate that CBD significantly improves cell viability and decreases levels of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. The results demonstrate that CBD possesses a robust potential to rescue cells from induced neurotoxicity through its antioxidant properties. Additionally, the neuroprotective effect of CBD may be associated with the modulation of the endocannabinoid system. These findings suggest that CBD could be a promising compound for adjuvant treatments in neurodegenerative processes triggered by amyloid-β peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Laser Antonio Machado Oliveira
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Biomaterials, Federal University of Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil; Department of Biological Science, Federal University of Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Katiane Oliveira Pinto Coelho Nogueira
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Biomaterials, Federal University of Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil; Department of Biological Science, Federal University of Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil.
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3
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Wang Z, Yang L. Natural-product-based, carrier-free, noncovalent nanoparticles for tumor chemo-photodynamic combination therapy. Pharmacol Res 2024; 203:107150. [PMID: 38521285 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Cancer, with its diversity, heterogeneity, and complexity, is a significant contributor to global morbidity, disability, and mortality, highlighting the necessity for transformative treatment approaches. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has aroused continuous interest as a viable alternative to conventional cancer treatments that encounter drug resistance. Nanotechnology has brought new advances in medicine and has shown great potential in drug delivery and cancer treatment. For precise and efficient therapeutic utilization of such a tumor therapeutic approach with high spatiotemporal selectivity and minimal invasiveness, the carrier-free noncovalent nanoparticles (NPs) based on chemo-photodynamic combination therapy is essential. Utilizing natural products as the foundation for nanodrug development offers unparalleled advantages, including exceptional pharmacological activity, easy functionalization/modification, and well biocompatibility. The natural-product-based, carrier-free, noncovalent NPs revealed excellent synergistic anticancer activity in comparison with free photosensitizers and free bioactive natural products, representing an alternative and favorable combination therapeutic avenue to improve therapeutic efficacy. Herein, a comprehensive summary of current strategies and representative application examples of carrier-free noncovalent NPs in the past decade based on natural products (such as paclitaxel, 10-hydroxycamptothecin, doxorubicin, etoposide, combretastatin A4, epigallocatechin gallate, and curcumin) for tumor chemo-photodynamic combination therapy. We highlight the insightful design and synthesis of the smart carrier-free NPs that aim to enhance PDT efficacy. Meanwhile, we discuss the future challenges and potential opportunities associated with these NPs to provide new enlightenment, spur innovative ideas, and facilitate PDT-mediated clinical transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus, Chemistry & Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Liyan Yang
- School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, PR China; Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China.
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4
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Grazioli G, Tao A, Bhatia I, Regan P. Genetic Algorithm for Automated Parameterization of Network Hamiltonian Models of Amyloid Fibril Formation. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:1854-1865. [PMID: 38359362 PMCID: PMC10910512 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The time scales of long-time atomistic molecular dynamics simulations are typically reported in microseconds, while the time scales for experiments studying the kinetics of amyloid fibril formation are typically reported in minutes or hours. This time scale deficit of roughly 9 orders of magnitude presents a major challenge in the design of computer simulation methods for studying protein aggregation events. Coarse-grained molecular simulations offer a computationally tractable path forward for exploring the molecular mechanism driving the formation of these structures, which are implicated in diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and type-II diabetes. Network Hamiltonian models of aggregation are centered around a Hamiltonian function that returns the total energy of a system of aggregating proteins, given the graph structure of the system as an input. In the graph, or network, representation of the system, each protein molecule is represented as a node, and noncovalent bonds between proteins are represented as edges. The parameter, i.e., a set of coefficients that determine the degree to which each topological degree of freedom is favored or disfavored, must be determined for each network Hamiltonian model, and is a well-known technical challenge. The methodology is first demonstrated by beginning with an initial set of randomly parametrized models of low fibril fraction (<5% fibrillar), and evolving to subsequent generations of models, ultimately leading to high fibril fraction models (>70% fibrillar). The methodology is also demonstrated by applying it to optimizing previously published network Hamiltonian models for the 5 key amyloid fibril topologies that have been reported in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The models generated by the AI produced fibril fractions that surpass previously published fibril fractions in 3 of 5 cases, including the most naturally abundant amyloid fibril topology, the 1,2 2-ribbon, which features a steric zipper. The authors also aim to encourage more widespread use of the network Hamiltonian methodology for fitting a wide variety of self-assembling systems by releasing a free open-source implementation of the genetic algorithm introduced here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianmarc Grazioli
- Department of Chemistry, San
José State University, San Jose, California 95192, United States
| | - Andy Tao
- Department of Chemistry, San
José State University, San Jose, California 95192, United States
| | - Inika Bhatia
- Department of Chemistry, San
José State University, San Jose, California 95192, United States
| | - Patrick Regan
- Department of Chemistry, San
José State University, San Jose, California 95192, United States
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5
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Tamucci JD, Alder NN, May ER. Peptide Power: Mechanistic Insights into the Effect of Mitochondria-Targeted Tetrapeptides on Membrane Electrostatics from Molecular Simulations. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:6114-6129. [PMID: 37904323 PMCID: PMC10841697 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00480] [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] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in nine of the ten leading causes of death in the US, yet there are no FDA-approved therapeutics to treat it. Synthetic mitochondria-targeted peptides (MTPs), including the lead compound SS-31, offer promise, as they have been shown to restore healthy mitochondrial function and treat a variety of common diseases. At the cellular level, research has shown that MTPs accumulate strongly at the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), slow energy sinks (e.g., proton leaks), and improve ATP production. Modulation of electrostatic fields around the IMM has been implicated as a key aspect in the mechanism of action (MoA) of these peptides; however, molecular and mechanistic details have remained elusive. In this study, we employed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations (MD) to investigate the interactions of four MTPs with lipid bilayers and calculate their effect on structural and electrostatic properties. In agreement with previous experimental findings, we observed the modulation of the membrane surface and dipole potentials by MTPs. The simulations reveal that the MTPs achieve a reduction in the dipole potential by acting to disorder both lipid head groups and water layers proximal to the bilayer surface. We also find that MTPs decrease the bilayer thickness and increase the membrane's capacitance. These changes suggest that MTPs may enhance how much potential energy can be stored across the IMM at a given transmembrane potential difference. The MTPs also displace cations away from the bilayer surface, modulating the surface potential and offering an alternative mechanism for how these MTPs reduce mitochondrial energy sinks like proton leaks and mitigate Ca2+ accumulation stress. In conclusion, this study highlights the therapeutic potential of MTPs and underlines how interactions of MTPs with lipid bilayers serve as a fundamental component of their MoA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Tamucci
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Nathan N Alder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Eric R May
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
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6
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Raileanu M, Borlan R, Campu A, Janosi L, Turcu I, Focsan M, Bacalum M. No country for old antibiotics! Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as next-generation treatment for skin and soft tissue infection. Int J Pharm 2023:123169. [PMID: 37356506 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123169] [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: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the unprecedented rise of bacterial antibiotic resistance together with the lack of adequate therapies have made the treatment of skin infections and chronic wounds challenging, urging the scientific community to focus on the development of new and more efficient treatment strategies. In this context, there is a growing interest in the use of natural molecules with antimicrobial features, capable of supporting wound healing i.e., antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections. In this review, we give a short overview of the bacterial skin infections as well as some of the classic treatments used for topical application. We then summarize the AMPs classes, stressing the importance of the appropriate selection of the peptides based on their characteristics and physicochemical properties in order to maximize the antibacterial efficacy of the therapeutic systems against multi-drug resistant pathogens. Additionally, the present paper provides a comprehensive and rigorous assessment of the latest clinical trials investigating the efficacy of AMPs in the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections, highlighting the relevant outcomes. Seeking to obtain novel and improved compounds with synergistic activity, while also decreasing some of the known side effects of AMPs, we present two employed strategies using AMPs: (i) AMPs-conjugated nanosystems for systemic and topical drug delivery systems and (ii) antibiotics-peptide conjugates as a strategy to overcome antibiotics resistance. Finally, an important property of some of the AMPs used in wound treatment is highlighted: their ability to help in wound healing by generally promoting cell proliferation and migration, and in some cases re-epithelialization and angiogenesis among others. Thus, as the pursuit of improvement is an ongoing effort, this work presents the advances made in the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections along with their advantages and limitations, while the still remaining challenges are addressed by providing future prospects and strategies to overcome them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Raileanu
- Department of Life and Environmental Physics, Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Reactorului 30, Măgurele 077125, Romania
| | - Raluca Borlan
- Nanobiophotonics and Laser Microspectroscopy Center, Interdisciplinary Research Institute in Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Treboniu Laurian No. 42, 400271 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andreea Campu
- Nanobiophotonics and Laser Microspectroscopy Center, Interdisciplinary Research Institute in Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Treboniu Laurian No. 42, 400271 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Lorant Janosi
- Molecular and Biomolecular Physics Department, National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioan Turcu
- Molecular and Biomolecular Physics Department, National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Monica Focsan
- Nanobiophotonics and Laser Microspectroscopy Center, Interdisciplinary Research Institute in Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Treboniu Laurian No. 42, 400271 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Mihaela Bacalum
- Department of Life and Environmental Physics, Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Reactorului 30, Măgurele 077125, Romania.
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7
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Rončević T, Maleš M, Sonavane Y, Guida F, Pacor S, Tossi A, Zoranić L. Relating Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Functional Activity for Gly-Rich Membranolytic Helical Kiadin Peptides. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051433. [PMID: 37242675 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051433] [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: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Kiadins are in silico designed peptides with a strong similarity to diPGLa-H, a tandem sequence of PGLa-H (KIAKVALKAL) and with single, double or quadruple glycine substitutions. They were found to show high variability in their activity and selectivity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as cytotoxicity against host cells, which are influenced by the number and placing of glycine residues along the sequence. The conformational flexibility introduced by these substitutions contributes differently peptide structuring and to their interactions with the model membranes, as observed by molecular dynamics simulations. We relate these results to experimentally determined data on the structure of kiadins and their interactions with liposomes having a phospholipid membrane composition similar to simulation membrane models, as well as to their antibacterial and cytotoxic activities, and also discuss the challenges in interpreting these multiscale experiments and understanding why the presence of glycine residues in the sequence affected the antibacterial potency and toxicity towards host cells in a different manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomislav Rončević
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Matko Maleš
- Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Yogesh Sonavane
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Filomena Guida
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sabrina Pacor
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandro Tossi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Larisa Zoranić
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
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8
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Niitsu A, Sugita Y. Towards de novo design of transmembrane α-helical assemblies using structural modelling and molecular dynamics simulation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:3595-3606. [PMID: 36647771 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03972a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Computational de novo protein design involves iterative processes consisting of amino acid sequence design, structural modelling and scoring, and design validation by synthesis and experimental characterisation. Recent advances in protein structure prediction and modelling methods have enabled the highly efficient and accurate design of water-soluble proteins. However, the design of membrane proteins remains a major challenge. To advance membrane protein design, considering the higher complexity of membrane protein folding, stability, and dynamic interactions between water, ions, lipids, and proteins is an important task. For introducing explicit solvents and membranes to these design methods, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of designed proteins provide useful information that cannot be obtained experimentally. In this review, we first describe two major approaches to designing transmembrane α-helical assemblies, consensus and de novo design. We further illustrate recent MD studies of membrane protein folding related to protein design, as well as advanced treatments in molecular models and conformational sampling techniques in the simulations. Finally, we discuss the possibility to introduce MD simulations after the existing static modelling and screening of design decoys as an additional step for refinement of the design, which considers membrane protein folding dynamics and interactions with explicit membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Niitsu
- Theoretical Molecular Science Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Yuji Sugita
- Theoretical Molecular Science Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan. .,Computational Biophysics Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science, 7-1-26 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.,Laboratory for Biomolecular Function Simulation, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 6-7-1 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
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9
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Yang Y, Distaffen H, Jalali S, Nieuwkoop AJ, Nilsson BL, Dias CL. Atomic Insights into Amyloid-Induced Membrane Damage. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2766-2777. [PMID: 36095304 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphipathic peptides can cause biological membranes to leak either by dissolving their lipid content via a detergent-like mechanism or by forming pores on the membrane surface. These modes of membrane damage have been related to the toxicity of amyloid peptides and to the activity of antimicrobial peptides. Here, we perform the first all-atom simulations in which membrane-bound amphipathic peptides self-assemble into β-sheets that subsequently either form stable pores inside the bilayer or drag lipids out of the membrane surface. An analysis of these simulations shows that the acyl tail of lipids interact strongly with non-polar side chains of peptides deposited on the membrane. These strong interactions enable lipids to be dragged out of the bilayer by oligomeric structures accounting for detergent-like damage. They also disturb the orientation of lipid tails in the vicinity of peptides. These distortions are minimized around pore structures. We also show that membrane-bound β-sheets become twisted with one of their extremities partially penetrating the lipid bilayer. This allows peptides on opposite leaflets to interact and form a long transmembrane β-sheet, which initiates poration. In simulations, where peptides are deposited on a single leaflet, the twist in β-sheets allows them to penetrate the membrane and form pores. In addition, our simulations show that fibril-like structures produce little damage to lipid membranes, as non-polar side chains in these structures are unavailable to interact with the acyl tail of lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxing Yang
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Hannah Distaffen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, United States
| | - Sharareh Jalali
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Andrew J Nieuwkoop
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Bradley L Nilsson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, United States
| | - Cristiano L Dias
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
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10
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Cardoso MH, Chan LY, Cândido ES, Buccini DF, Rezende SB, Torres MDT, Oshiro KGN, Silva ÍC, Gonçalves S, Lu TK, Santos NC, de la Fuente-Nunez C, Craik DJ, Franco OL. An N-capping asparagine-lysine-proline (NKP) motif contributes to a hybrid flexible/stable multifunctional peptide scaffold. Chem Sci 2022; 13:9410-9424. [PMID: 36093022 PMCID: PMC9383710 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc06998e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural diversity drives multiple biological activities and mechanisms of action in linear peptides. Here we describe an unusual N-capping asparagine-lysine-proline (NKP) motif that confers a hybrid multifunctional scaffold to a computationally designed peptide (PaDBS1R7). PaDBS1R7 has a shorter α-helix segment than other computationally designed peptides of similar sequence but with key residue substitutions. Although this motif acts as an α-helix breaker in PaDBS1R7, the Asn5 presents exclusive N-capping effects, forming a belt to establish hydrogen bonds for an amphipathic α-helix stabilization. The combination of these different structural profiles was described as a coil/N-cap/α-helix scaffold, which was also observed in diverse computational peptide mutants. Biological studies revealed that all peptides displayed antibacterial activities. However, only PaDBS1R7 displayed anticancer properties, eradicated Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms, decreased bacterial counts by 100-1000-fold in vivo, reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages stress, and stimulated fibroblast migration for wound healing. This study extends our understanding of an N-capping NKP motif to engineering hybrid multifunctional peptide drug candidates with potent anti-infective and immunomodulatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlon H Cardoso
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco Avenida Tamandaré 6000 Campo Grande - MS 79117900 Brazil
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília SGAN 916 Módulo B, Asa Norte, Brasília - DF 70790160 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro Asa Norte Brasília - DF 70910900 Brazil
- Instituto de Biociências (INBIO), Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Cidade Universitária 79070900 Campo Grande Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil
| | - Lai Y Chan
- 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
| | - Elizabete S Cândido
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco Avenida Tamandaré 6000 Campo Grande - MS 79117900 Brazil
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília SGAN 916 Módulo B, Asa Norte, Brasília - DF 70790160 Brazil
| | - Danieli F Buccini
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco Avenida Tamandaré 6000 Campo Grande - MS 79117900 Brazil
| | - Samilla B Rezende
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco Avenida Tamandaré 6000 Campo Grande - MS 79117900 Brazil
| | - Marcelo D T Torres
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
| | - Karen G N Oshiro
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco Avenida Tamandaré 6000 Campo Grande - MS 79117900 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro Asa Norte Brasília - DF 70910900 Brazil
| | - Ítala C Silva
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - Sónia Gonçalves
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - Timothy K Lu
- Synthetic Biology Group, MIT Synthetic Biology Center, The Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Department of Biological Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge - MA 02139 USA
| | - Nuno C Santos
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Machine Biology Group, Departments of Psychiatry and Microbiology, Institute for Biomedical Informatics, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Penn Institute for Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
| | - 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
| | - Octávio L Franco
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco Avenida Tamandaré 6000 Campo Grande - MS 79117900 Brazil
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília SGAN 916 Módulo B, Asa Norte, Brasília - DF 70790160 Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro Asa Norte Brasília - DF 70910900 Brazil
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11
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Arenas NE, Pieffet G, Rocha-Roa C, Guerrero MI. Design of a specific peptide against phenolic glycolipid-1 from Mycobacterium leprae and its implications in leprosy bacilli entry. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022; 117:e220025. [PMID: 35857971 PMCID: PMC9296141 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760220025] [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: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of Hansen’s
disease, causes neural damage through the specific interaction between the
external phenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) and laminin subunit alpha-2 (LAMA2)
from Schwann cells. OBJECTIVE To design a LAMA2-based peptide that targets PGL-1 from M.
leprae. METHODS We retrieved the protein sequence of human LAMA2 and designed a specific
peptide using the Antimicrobial Peptide Database and physicochemical
parameters for antimycobacterial peptide-lipid interactions. We used the
AlphaFold2 server to predict its three-dimensional structure, AUTODOCK-VINA
for docking, and GROMACS programs for molecular dynamics simulations. FINDINGS We analysed 52 candidate peptides from LAMA2, and subsequent screening
resulted in a single 60-mer peptide. The mapped peptide comprises four
β-sheets and a random coiled region. This peptide exhibits a 45% hydrophobic
ratio, in which one-third covers the same surface. Molecular dynamics
simulations show that our predicted peptide is stable in aqueous solution
and remains stable upon interaction with PGL-1 binding. In addition, we
found that PGL-1 has a preference for one of the two faces of the predicted
peptide, which could act as the preferential binding site of PGL-1. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our LAMA2-based peptide targeting PGL-1 might have the potential to
specifically block this key molecule, suggesting that the preferential
region of the peptide is involved in the initial contact during the
attachment of leprosy bacilli to Schwann cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson Enrique Arenas
- Hospital Universitario, Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gilles Pieffet
- Universidad de los Andes, Departamento de Química, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Cristian Rocha-Roa
- Universidad del Quindío, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Grupo de Estudio en Parasitología y Micología Molecular-GEPAMOL, Armenia, Quindío, Colombia
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12
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Jaafar NR, Jailani N, Rahman RA, Öner ET, Murad AMA, Illias RM. Protein surface engineering and interaction studies of maltogenic amylase towards improved enzyme immobilisation. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 213:70-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.05.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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13
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Cai X, Han W. Development of a Hybrid-Resolution Force Field for Peptide Self-Assembly Simulations: Optimizing Peptide-Peptide and Peptide-Solvent Interactions. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:2744-2760. [PMID: 35561002 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Atomic descriptions of peptide self-assembly are crucial to an understanding of disease-related peptide aggregation and the design of peptide-assembled materials. Obtaining these descriptions through computer simulation is challenging because current force fields, which were not designed for this process and are often unable to describe correctly peptide self-assembly behavior and the sequence dependence. Here, we developed a framework using dipeptide aggregation as a model system to improve force fields for simulations of self-assembly. Aggregation-related structural properties were designed and used to guide the optimization of peptide-peptide and peptide-solvent interactions. With this framework, we developed a self-assembly force field, termed PACE-ASM, by reoptimizing a hybrid-resolution force field that was originally developed for folding simulation. With its applicability in folding simulations, the new PACE was used to simulate the self-assembly of two disease-related short peptides, Aβ16-21 and PHF6, into β-sheet-rich cross-β amyloids. These simulations reproduced the crystal structures of Aβ16-21 and PHF6 amyloids at near-atomic resolution and captured the difference in packing orientations between the two sequences, a task which is challenging even with all-atom force fields. Apart from cross-β amyloids, the self-assembly of emerging helix-rich cross-α amyloids by another peptide PSMα3 can also be correctly described with the new PACE, manifesting the versatility of the force field. We demonstrated that the ability of the PACE-ASM to model peptide self-assembly is based largely on its improved description of peptide-peptide and peptide-solvent interactions. This was achieved with our optimization framework that can readily identify and address the deficiency in describing these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wei Han
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
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14
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Chen CH, Liu Y, Eskandari A, Ghimire J, Lin LC, Fang Z, Wimley WC, Ulmschneider JP, Suntharalingam K, Hu CJ, Ulmschneider MB. Integrated Design of a Membrane-Lytic Peptide-Based Intravenous Nanotherapeutic Suppresses Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105506. [PMID: 35246961 PMCID: PMC9069370 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-lytic peptides offer broad synthetic flexibilities and design potential to the arsenal of anticancer therapeutics, which can be limited by cytotoxicity to noncancerous cells and induction of drug resistance via stress-induced mutagenesis. Despite continued research efforts on membrane-perforating peptides for antimicrobial applications, success in anticancer peptide therapeutics remains elusive given the muted distinction between cancerous and normal cell membranes and the challenge of peptide degradation and neutralization upon intravenous delivery. Using triple-negative breast cancer as a model, the authors report the development of a new class of anticancer peptides. Through function-conserving mutations, the authors achieved cancer cell selective membrane perforation, with leads exhibiting a 200-fold selectivity over non-cancerogenic cells and superior cytotoxicity over doxorubicin against breast cancer tumorspheres. Upon continuous exposure to the anticancer peptides at growth-arresting concentrations, cancer cells do not exhibit resistance phenotype, frequently observed under chemotherapeutic treatment. The authors further demonstrate efficient encapsulation of the anticancer peptides in 20 nm polymeric nanocarriers, which possess high tolerability and lead to effective tumor growth inhibition in a mouse model of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer. This work demonstrates a multidisciplinary approach for enabling translationally relevant membrane-lytic peptides in oncology, opening up a vast chemical repertoire to the arms race against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H. Chen
- Department of ChemistryKing's College LondonLondonSE1 1DBUK
- Synthetic Biology GroupResearch Laboratory of ElectronicsMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMA02139USA
| | - Yu‐Han Liu
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesAcademia SinicaTaipei115Taiwan
| | | | - Jenisha Ghimire
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyTulane UniversityNew OrleansLA70112USA
| | | | - Zih‐Syun Fang
- Institute of Biomedical SciencesAcademia SinicaTaipei115Taiwan
| | - William C. Wimley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyTulane UniversityNew OrleansLA70112USA
| | - Jakob P. Ulmschneider
- Department of PhysicsInstitute of Natural SciencesShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghai200240China
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15
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Chen CH, Bepler T, Pepper K, Fu D, Lu TK. Synthetic molecular evolution of antimicrobial peptides. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 75:102718. [PMID: 35395425 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
As we learn more about how peptide structure and activity are related, we anticipate that antimicrobial peptides will be engineered to have strong potency and distinct functions and that synthetic peptides will have new biomedical applications, such as treatments for emerging infectious diseases. As a result of the enormous number of possible amino acid sequences and the low-throughput nature of antimicrobial peptide assays, computational tools for peptide design and optimization are needed for direct experimentation toward obtaining functional sequences. Recent developments in computational tools have improved peptide design, saving labor, reagents, costs, and time. At the same time, improvements in peptide synthesis and experimental platforms continue to reduce the cost and increase the throughput of peptide-drug screening. In this review, we discuss the current methods of peptide design and engineering, including in silico methods and peptide synthesis and screening, and highlight areas of potential improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Chen
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Tristan Bepler
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Simons Machine Learning Center, New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Karen Pepper
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Debbie Fu
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Timothy K Lu
- Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Senti Biosciences, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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16
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Brady R, Harris NJ, Pellowe GA, Gulaidi Breen S, Booth PJ. How lipids affect the energetics of co-translational alpha helical membrane protein folding. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:555-567. [PMID: 35212365 PMCID: PMC9022994 DOI: 10.1042/bst20201063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Membrane proteins need to fold with precision in order to function correctly, with misfolding potentially leading to disease. The proteins reside within a hydrophobic lipid membrane and must insert into the membrane and fold correctly, generally whilst they are being translated by the ribosome. Favourable and unfavourable free energy contributions are present throughout each stage of insertion and folding. The unfavourable energy cost of transferring peptide bonds into the hydrophobic membrane interior is compensated for by the favourable hydrophobic effect of partitioning a hydrophobic transmembrane alpha-helix into the membrane. Native membranes are composed of many different types of lipids, but how these different lipids influence folding and the associated free energies is not well understood. Altering the lipids in the bilayer is known to affect the probability of transmembrane helix insertion into the membrane, and lipids also affect protein stability and can promote successful folding. This review will summarise the free energy contributions associated with insertion and folding of alpha helical membrane proteins, as well as how lipids can make these processes more or less favourable. We will also discuss the implications of this work for the free energy landscape during the co-translational folding of alpha helical membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Brady
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | - Nicola J. Harris
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | - Grant A. Pellowe
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
| | - Samuel Gulaidi Breen
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, U.K
| | - Paula J. Booth
- King's College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K
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17
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Chen CH, Pepper K, Ulmschneider JP, Ulmschneider MB, Lu TK. Predicting Membrane-Active Peptide Dynamics in Fluidic Lipid Membranes. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2405:115-136. [PMID: 35298811 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1855-4_6] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between peptides and lipid membranes could not only accelerate the development of antimicrobial peptides as treatments for infections but also be applied to finding targeted therapies for cancer and other diseases. However, designing biophysical experiments to study molecular interactions between flexible peptides and fluidic lipid membranes has been an ongoing challenge. Recently, with hardware advances, algorithm improvements, and more accurate parameterizations (i.e., force fields), all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used as a "computational microscope" to investigate the molecular interactions and mechanisms of membrane-active peptides in cell membranes (Chen et al., Curr Opin Struct Biol 61:160-166, 2020; Ulmschneider and Ulmschneider, Acc Chem Res 51(5):1106-1116, 2018; Dror et al., Annu Rev Biophys 41:429-452, 2012). In this chapter, we describe how to utilize MD simulations to predict and study peptide dynamics and how to validate the simulations by circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescent probe, membrane leakage assay, electrical impedance, and isothermal titration calorimetry. Experimentally validated MD simulations open a new route towards peptide design starting from sequence and structure and leading to desirable functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Chen
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Karen Pepper
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jakob P Ulmschneider
- Department of Physics, Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Timothy K Lu
- Synthetic Biology Group, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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18
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Luna-Reyes I, Pérez-Hernández EG, Delgado-Coello B, Mas-Oliva J. Peptides as Therapeutic Molecules to Neutralize Gram-negative Bacterial Lipopolysaccharides in Sepsis and Septic Shock. Arch Med Res 2021; 52:798-807. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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19
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Rocha-Roa C, Orjuela JD, Leidy C, Cossio P, Aponte-Santamaría C. Cardiolipin prevents pore formation in phosphatidylglycerol bacterial membrane models. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:2701-2714. [PMID: 34633077 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Several antimicrobial peptides, including magainin and the human cathelicidin LL-37, act by forming pores in bacterial membranes. Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus modify their membrane's cardiolipin composition to resist such types of perturbations that compromise their membrane stability. Here, we used molecular dynamic simulations to quantify the role of cardiolipin on the formation of pores in simple bacterial-like membrane models composed of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin mixtures. Cardiolipin modified the structure and ordering of the lipid bilayer, making it less susceptible to mechanical changes. Accordingly, the free-energy barrier for the formation of a transmembrane pore and its kinetic instability augmented by increasing the cardiolipin concentration. This is attributed to the unfavorable positioning of cardiolipin near the formed pore, due to its small polar head and bulky hydrophobic body. Overall, our study demonstrates how cardiolipin prevents membrane-pore formation and this constitutes a plausible mechanism used by bacteria to act against stress perturbations and, thereby, gain resistance to antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Rocha-Roa
- Biophysics of Tropical Diseases, Max Planck Tandem Group, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Juan David Orjuela
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Computational Biophysics, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Chad Leidy
- Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Pilar Cossio
- Biophysics of Tropical Diseases, Max Planck Tandem Group, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Germany
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20
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Róg T, Girych M, Bunker A. Mechanistic Understanding from Molecular Dynamics in Pharmaceutical Research 2: Lipid Membrane in Drug Design. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:1062. [PMID: 34681286 PMCID: PMC8537670 DOI: 10.3390/ph14101062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We review the use of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation as a drug design tool in the context of the role that the lipid membrane can play in drug action, i.e., the interaction between candidate drug molecules and lipid membranes. In the standard "lock and key" paradigm, only the interaction between the drug and a specific active site of a specific protein is considered; the environment in which the drug acts is, from a biophysical perspective, far more complex than this. The possible mechanisms though which a drug can be designed to tinker with physiological processes are significantly broader than merely fitting to a single active site of a single protein. In this paper, we focus on the role of the lipid membrane, arguably the most important element outside the proteins themselves, as a case study. We discuss work that has been carried out, using MD simulation, concerning the transfection of drugs through membranes that act as biological barriers in the path of the drugs, the behavior of drug molecules within membranes, how their collective behavior can affect the structure and properties of the membrane and, finally, the role lipid membranes, to which the vast majority of drug target proteins are associated, can play in mediating the interaction between drug and target protein. This review paper is the second in a two-part series covering MD simulation as a tool in pharmaceutical research; both are designed as pedagogical review papers aimed at both pharmaceutical scientists interested in exploring how the tool of MD simulation can be applied to their research and computational scientists interested in exploring the possibility of a pharmaceutical context for their research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Róg
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Mykhailo Girych
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Alex Bunker
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;
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21
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Zai Y, Xi X, Ye Z, Ma C, Zhou M, Chen X, Siu SWI, Chen T, Wang L, Kwok HF. Aggregation and Its Influence on the Bioactivities of a Novel Antimicrobial Peptide, Temporin-PF, and Its Analogues. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4509. [PMID: 33925935 PMCID: PMC8123395 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporin is an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) family discovered in the skin secretion of ranid frog that has become a promising alternative for conventional antibiotic therapy. Herein, a novel temporin peptide, Temporin-PF (TPF), was successfully identified from Pelophylax fukienensis. It exhibited potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria, but no effect on Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, TPF exhibited aggregation effects in different solutions. Three analogs were further designed to study the relationship between the aggregation patterns and bioactivities, and the MD simulation was performed for revealing the pattern of the peptide assembly. As the results showed, all peptides were able to aggregate in the standard culture media and salt solutions, especially CaCl2 and MgCl2 buffers, where the aggregation was affected by the concentration of the salts. MD simulation reported that all peptides were able to form oligomers. The parent peptide assembly depended on the hydrophobic interaction via the residues in the middle domain of the sequence. However, the substitution of Trp/D-Trp resulted in an enhanced inter-peptide interaction in the zipper-like domain and eliminated overall biological activities. Our study suggested that introducing aromaticity at the zipper-like domain for temporin may not improve the bioactivities, which might be related to the formation of aggregates via the inter-peptide contacts at the zipper-like motif domain, and it could reduce the binding affinity to the lipid membrane of microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zai
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Univesidade, Taipa, Macau, China;
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Z.Y.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofunctional Molecule, College of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jiangsu Second Normal University, Nanjing 210013, China
| | - Xinping Xi
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Z.Y.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Zhuming Ye
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Z.Y.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Chengbang Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Z.Y.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Mei Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Z.Y.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Xiaoling Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Z.Y.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Shirley W. I. Siu
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau, China;
| | - Tianbao Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Z.Y.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; (Z.Y.); (C.M.); (M.Z.); (X.C.); (T.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Univesidade, Taipa, Macau, China;
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22
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Abstract
Although antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly significant public health concern, there have only been two new classes of antibiotics approved for human use since the 1960s. Understanding the mechanisms of action of antibiotics is critical for novel antibiotic discovery, but novel approaches are needed that do not exclusively rely on experiments. Molecular dynamics simulation is a computational tool that uses simple models of the atoms in a system to discover nanoscale insights into the dynamic relationship between mechanism and biological function. Such insights can lay the framework for elucidating the mechanism of action and optimizing antibiotic templates. Antimicrobial peptides represent a promising solution to escalating antimicrobial resistance, given their lesser tendency to induce resistance than that of small-molecule antibiotics. Simulations of these agents have already revealed how they interact with bacterial membranes and the underlying physiochemical features directing their structure and function. In this minireview, we discuss how traditional molecular dynamics simulation works and its role and potential for the development of new antibiotic candidates with an emphasis on antimicrobial peptides.
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23
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Ewis D, Ismail NA, Hafiz M, Benamor A, Hawari AH. Nanoparticles functionalized ceramic membranes: fabrication, surface modification, and performance. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:12256-12281. [PMID: 33410066 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11847-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Membrane technologies are used intensively for desalination and wastewater treatment. Water filtration using ceramic membranes exhibited high performance compared with polymeric membranes due to various properties such as high resistance to fouling, permeability, rejection rate, and chemical stability. Recently, the performance of nanocomposite ceramic membranes was improved due to the development in nanotechnology. This article focusses on the development of porous ceramic membranes and nanomaterial functionalized ceramic membranes for water filtration applications. At the beginning, various fabrication methods of ceramic membranes were described, and the effect of surface modification techniques on the membrane intrinsic properties was reviewed. Then, the performance of nanoparticles functionalized ceramic membranes was evaluated in terms of physicochemical properties, rejection rate, and water permeability. This work can help new entrants and established researchers to become familiar with the current challenges and developments of nanoparticle-incorporated ceramic membranes for water filtration applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Ewis
- Environmental Engineering Master Program, College of Engineering, Qatar University, 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Norhan Ashraf Ismail
- Environmental Engineering Master Program, College of Engineering, Qatar University, 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - MhdAmmar Hafiz
- Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P.O.Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Abdelbaki Benamor
- Gas Processing Centre, College of Engineering, Qatar University, 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Alaa H Hawari
- Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P.O.Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
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24
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Pokorny A, Almeida PF. The Antibiotic Peptide Daptomycin Functions by Reorganizing the Membrane. J Membr Biol 2021; 254:97-108. [DOI: 10.1007/s00232-021-00175-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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25
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Tuning of a Membrane-Perforating Antimicrobial Peptide to Selectively Target Membranes of Different Lipid Composition. J Membr Biol 2021; 254:75-96. [PMID: 33564914 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-021-00174-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of designed antimicrobial peptides as drugs has been impeded by the absence of simple sequence-structure-function relationships and design rules. The likely cause is that many of these peptides permeabilize membranes via highly disordered, heterogeneous mechanisms, forming aggregates without well-defined tertiary or secondary structure. We suggest that the combination of high-throughput library screening with atomistic computer simulations can successfully address this challenge by tuning a previously developed general pore-forming peptide into a selective pore-former for different lipid types. A library of 2916 peptides was designed based on the LDKA template. The library peptides were synthesized and screened using a high-throughput orthogonal vesicle leakage assay. Dyes of different sizes were entrapped inside vesicles with varying lipid composition to simultaneously screen for both pore size and affinity for negatively charged and neutral lipid membranes. From this screen, nine different LDKA variants that have unique activity were selected, sequenced, synthesized, and characterized. Despite the minor sequence changes, each of these peptides has unique functional properties, forming either small or large pores and being selective for either neutral or anionic lipid bilayers. Long-scale, unbiased atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations directly reveal that rather than rigid, well-defined pores, these peptides can form a large repertoire of functional dynamic and heterogeneous aggregates, strongly affected by single mutations. Predicting the propensity to aggregate and assemble in a given environment from sequence alone holds the key to functional prediction of membrane permeabilization.
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King GM, Kosztin I. Towards a Quantitative Understanding of Protein-Lipid Bilayer Interactions at the Single Molecule Level: Opportunities and Challenges. J Membr Biol 2020; 254:17-28. [PMID: 33196888 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-020-00151-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein-lipid interfaces are among the most fundamental in biology. Yet applying conventional techniques to study the biophysical attributes of these systems is challenging and has left many unknowns. For example, what is the kinetic pathway and energy landscape experienced by a polypeptide chain when in close proximity to a fluid lipid bilayer? Here we review the experimental and theoretical progress we have made in addressing this question from a single molecule perspective. Some remaining impediments are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin M King
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
| | - Ioan Kosztin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
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Engberg O, Bochicchio A, Brandner AF, Gupta A, Dey S, Böckmann RA, Maiti S, Huster D. Serotonin Alters the Phase Equilibrium of a Ternary Mixture of Phospholipids and Cholesterol. Front Physiol 2020; 11:578868. [PMID: 33192582 PMCID: PMC7645218 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.578868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Unsaturated and saturated phospholipids tend to laterally segregate, especially in the presence of cholesterol. Small molecules such as neurotransmitters, toxins, drugs etc. possibly modulate this lateral segregation. The small aromatic neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) has been found to bind to membranes. We studied the lipid structure and packing of a ternary membrane mixture consisting of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine, palmitoyl-sphingomyelin, and cholesterol at a molar ratio of 4/4/2 in the absence and in the presence of 5-HT, using a combination of solid-state 2H NMR, atomic force microscopy, and atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Both NMR and MD report formation of a liquid ordered (L o ) and a liquid disordered (L d ) phase coexistence with small domains. Lipid exchange between the domains was fast such that single component 2H NMR spectra are detected over a wide temperature range. A drastic restructuring of the domains was induced when 5-HT is added to the membranes at a 9 mol% concentration relative to the lipids. 2H NMR spectra of all components of the mixture showed two prominent contributions indicative of molecules of the same kind residing both in the disordered and the ordered phase. Compared to the data in the absence of 5-HT, the lipid chain order in the disordered phase was further decreased in the presence of 5-HT. Likewise, addition of serotonin increased lipid chain order within the ordered phase. These characteristic lipid chain order changes were confirmed by MD simulations. The 5-HT-induced larger difference in lipid chain order results in more pronounced differences in the hydrophobic thickness of the individual membrane domains. The correspondingly enlarged hydrophobic mismatch between ordered and disordered phases is assumed to increase the line tension at the domain boundary, which drives the system into formation of larger size domains. These results not only demonstrate that small membrane binding molecules such as neurotransmitters have a profound impact on essential membrane properties. It also suggests a mechanism by which the interaction of small molecules with membranes can influence the function of membrane proteins and non-cognate receptors. Altered membrane properties may modify lateral sorting of membrane protein, membrane protein conformation, and thus influence their function as suspected for neurotransmitters, local anesthetics, and other small drug molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oskar Engberg
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Bochicchio
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Astrid F. Brandner
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ankur Gupta
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Simli Dey
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Rainer A. Böckmann
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sudipta Maiti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
| | - Daniel Huster
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
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Study of the Interaction of a Novel Semi-Synthetic Peptide with Model Lipid Membranes. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10100294. [PMID: 33086635 PMCID: PMC7603383 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10100294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Most linear peptides directly interact with membranes, but the mechanisms of interaction are far from being completely understood. Here, we present an investigation of the membrane interactions of a designed peptide containing a non-natural, synthetic amino acid. We selected a nonapeptide that is reported to interact with phospholipid membranes, ALYLAIRKR, abbreviated as ALY. We designed a modified peptide (azoALY) by substituting the tyrosine residue of ALY with an antimicrobial azobenzene-bearing amino acid. Both of the peptides were examined for their ability to interact with model membranes, assessing the penetration of phospholipid monolayers, and leakage across the bilayer of large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The latter was performed in a microfluidic device in order to study the kinetics of leakage of entrapped calcein from the vesicles at the single vesicle level. Both types of vesicles were prepared from a 9:1 (mol/mol) mixture of POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and POPG (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho(1′-rac-glycerol). Calcein leakage from the vesicles was more pronounced at a low concentration in the case of azoALY than for ALY. Increased vesicle membrane disturbance in the presence of azoALY was also evident from an enzymatic assay with LUVs and entrapped horseradish peroxidase. Molecular dynamics simulations of ALY and azoALY in an anionic POPC/POPG model bilayer showed that ALY peptide only interacts with the lipid head groups. In contrast, azoALY penetrates the hydrophobic core of the bilayers causing a stronger membrane perturbation as compared to ALY, in qualitative agreement with the experimental results from the leakage assays.
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