1
|
Barbour A, Smith L, Oveisi M, Williams M, Huang RC, Marks C, Fine N, Sun C, Younesi F, Zargaran S, Orugunty R, Horvath TD, Haidacher SJ, Haag AM, Sabharwal A, Hinz B, Glogauer M. Discovery of phosphorylated lantibiotics with proimmune activity that regulate the oral microbiome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219392120. [PMID: 37216534 PMCID: PMC10235938 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219392120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) that are produced by bacteria. Interest in this group of natural products is increasing rapidly as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Some human microbiome-derived commensals produce lantibiotics to impair pathogens' colonization and promote healthy microbiomes. Streptococcus salivarius is one of the first commensal microbes to colonize the human oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract, and its biosynthesis of RiPPs, called salivaricins, has been shown to inhibit the growth of oral pathogens. Herein, we report on a phosphorylated class of three related RiPPs, collectively referred to as salivaricin 10, that exhibit proimmune activity and targeted antimicrobial properties against known oral pathogens and multispecies biofilms. Strikingly, the immunomodulatory activities observed include upregulation of neutrophil-mediated phagocytosis, promotion of antiinflammatory M2 macrophage polarization, and stimulation of neutrophil chemotaxis-these activities have been attributed to the phosphorylation site identified on the N-terminal region of the peptides. Salivaricin 10 peptides were determined to be produced by S. salivarius strains found in healthy human subjects, and their dual bactericidal/antibiofilm and immunoregulatory activity may provide new means to effectively target infectious pathogens while maintaining important oral microbiota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdelahhad Barbour
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - Leif Smith
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
| | - Morvarid Oveisi
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - McKinley Williams
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
| | - Ruo Chen Huang
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - Cara Marks
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - Noah Fine
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - Chunxiang Sun
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - Fereshteh Younesi
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
- Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of the St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON M5B 1T8, Canada
| | - Sina Zargaran
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | | | - Thomas D Horvath
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Texas Children's Microbiome Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Sigmund J Haidacher
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Texas Children's Microbiome Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Anthony M Haag
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Texas Children's Microbiome Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Amarpreet Sabharwal
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Boris Hinz
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
- Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of the St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON M5B 1T8, Canada
| | - Michael Glogauer
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
- Department of Dental Oncology, Maxillofacial and Ocular Prosthetics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Parent A, Benjdia A, Guillot A, Kubiak X, Balty C, Lefranc B, Leprince J, Berteau O. Mechanistic Investigations of PoyD, a Radical S-Adenosyl-l-methionine Enzyme Catalyzing Iterative and Directional Epimerizations in Polytheonamide A Biosynthesis. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:2469-2477. [PMID: 29253341 PMCID: PMC5824343 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b08402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are a growing family of bioactive peptides. Among RiPPs, the bacterial toxin polytheonamide A is characterized by a unique set of post-translational modifications catalyzed by novel radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) enzymes. Here we show that the radical SAM enzyme PoyD catalyzes in vitro polytheonamide epimerization in a C-to-N directional manner. By combining mutagenesis experiments with labeling studies and investigating the enzyme substrate promiscuity, we deciphered in detail the mechanism of PoyD. We notably identified a critical cysteine residue as a likely key H atom donor and demonstrated that PoyD belongs to a distinct family of radical SAM peptidyl epimerases. In addition, our study shows that the core peptide directly influences the epimerization pattern allowing for production of peptides with unnatural epimerization patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aubérie Parent
- Micalis Institute, ChemSyBio, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Alhosna Benjdia
- Micalis Institute, ChemSyBio, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Alain Guillot
- Micalis Institute, ChemSyBio, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Xavier Kubiak
- Micalis Institute, ChemSyBio, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Clémence Balty
- Micalis Institute, ChemSyBio, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Benjamin Lefranc
- Inserm U1239, PRIMACEN, University of Rouen Normandy , 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Jérôme Leprince
- Inserm U1239, PRIMACEN, University of Rouen Normandy , 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Olivier Berteau
- Micalis Institute, ChemSyBio, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhang Z, Mahanta N, Hudson GA, Mitchell DA, van der Donk WA. Mechanism of a Class C Radical S-Adenosyl-l-methionine Thiazole Methyl Transferase. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:18623-18631. [PMID: 29190095 PMCID: PMC5748327 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b10203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has seen the discovery of four different classes of radical S-adenosylmethionine (rSAM) methyltransferases that methylate unactivated carbon centers. Whereas the mechanism of class A is well understood, the molecular details of methylation by classes B-D are not. In this study, we present detailed mechanistic investigations of the class C rSAM methyltransferase TbtI involved in the biosynthesis of the potent thiopeptide antibiotic thiomuracin. TbtI C-methylates a Cys-derived thiazole during posttranslational maturation. Product analysis demonstrates that two SAM molecules are required for methylation and that one SAM (SAM1) is converted to 5'-deoxyadenosine and the second SAM (SAM2) is converted to S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (SAH). Isotope labeling studies show that a hydrogen is transferred from the methyl group of SAM2 to the 5'-deoxyadenosine of SAM1 and the other two hydrogens of the methyl group of SAM2 appear in the methylated product. In addition, a hydrogen appears to be transferred from the β-position of the thiazole to the methyl group in the product. We also show that the methyl protons in the product can exchange with solvent. A mechanism consistent with these observations is presented that differs from other characterized radical SAM methyltransferases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhengan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Nilkamal Mahanta
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.,Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Graham A Hudson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Douglas A Mitchell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.,Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Wilfred A van der Donk
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.,Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Agarwal V, Miles ZD, Winter JM, Eustáquio AS, El Gamal AA, Moore BS. Enzymatic Halogenation and Dehalogenation Reactions: Pervasive and Mechanistically Diverse. Chem Rev 2017; 117:5619-5674. [PMID: 28106994 PMCID: PMC5575885 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Naturally produced halogenated compounds are ubiquitous across all domains of life where they perform a multitude of biological functions and adopt a diversity of chemical structures. Accordingly, a diverse collection of enzyme catalysts to install and remove halogens from organic scaffolds has evolved in nature. Accounting for the different chemical properties of the four halogen atoms (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine) and the diversity and chemical reactivity of their organic substrates, enzymes performing biosynthetic and degradative halogenation chemistry utilize numerous mechanistic strategies involving oxidation, reduction, and substitution. Biosynthetic halogenation reactions range from simple aromatic substitutions to stereoselective C-H functionalizations on remote carbon centers and can initiate the formation of simple to complex ring structures. Dehalogenating enzymes, on the other hand, are best known for removing halogen atoms from man-made organohalogens, yet also function naturally, albeit rarely, in metabolic pathways. This review details the scope and mechanism of nature's halogenation and dehalogenation enzymatic strategies, highlights gaps in our understanding, and posits where new advances in the field might arise in the near future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vinayak Agarwal
- Center for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
| | - Zachary D. Miles
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
| | | | - Alessandra S. Eustáquio
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy and Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago
| | - Abrahim A. El Gamal
- Center for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
| | - Bradley S. Moore
- Center for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhang Q, Yu Y. Thioether crosslinkages created by a radical SAM enzyme. Chembiochem 2012; 13:1097-9. [PMID: 22556103 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201200196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Unusually versatile: While the β-carbon thioether linkage in lantibiotics has long been appreciated and is relatively well characterized, a recent publication shows that the unusual sulfur-to-α-carbon thioether crosslinks in subtilosin A are produced by a radical SAM enzyme, AlbA, that contains two [4 Fe-4 S] clusters, thus highlighting the versatility of post-translational modifications in natural product biosynthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatory Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education) and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, 185 East Lake Road, Wuhan 430071, PR China.
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Moll GN, Kuipers A, Rink R. Microbial engineering of dehydro-amino acids and lanthionines in non-lantibiotic peptides. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2010; 97:319-33. [PMID: 20140513 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-010-9418-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2009] [Accepted: 01/25/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
This minireview focuses on the use of bacteria to introduce dehydroresidues and (methyl)lanthionines in (poly)peptides. It mainly describes the broad exploitation of bacteria containing lantibiotic enzymes for the engineering of these residues in a wide variety of peptides in particular in peptides unrelated to lantibiotics. Lantibiotic dehydratases dehydrate serines and threonines present in peptides preceded by a lantibiotic leader peptide thus forming dehydroalanine and dehydrobutyrine, respectively. These dehydroresidues can be coupled to cysteines thus forming (methyl)lanthionines. This coupling is catalysed by lantibiotic cyclases. The design, synthesis, and export of microbially engineered dehydroresidue and or lanthionine-containing peptides in non-lantibiotic peptides are reviewed, illustrated by some examples which demonstrate the high relevance of these special residues. This minireview is the first with special focus on the microbial engineering of nonlantibiotic peptides by exploiting lantibiotic enzymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gert N Moll
- BiOMaDe Technology Foundation, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Production of a class II two-component lantibiotic of Streptococcus pneumoniae using the class I nisin synthetic machinery and leader sequence. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2010; 54:1498-505. [PMID: 20100873 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00883-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies showed that the nisin modification machinery can successfully dehydrate serines and threonines and introduce lanthionine rings in small peptides that are fused to the nisin leader sequence. This opens up exciting possibilities to produce and engineer larger antimicrobial peptides in vivo. Here we demonstrate the exploitation of the class I nisin production machinery to generate, modify, and secrete biologically active, previously not-yet-isolated and -characterized class II two-component lantibiotics that have no sequence homology to nisin. The nisin synthesis machinery, composed of the modification enzymes NisB and NisC and the transporter NisT, was used to modify and secrete a putative two-component lantibiotic of Streptococcus pneumoniae. This was achieved by genetically fusing the propeptide-encoding sequences of the spr1765 (pneA1) and spr1766 (pneA2) genes to the nisin leader-encoding sequence. The chimeric prepeptides were secreted out of Lactococcus lactis, purified by cation exchange fast protein liquid chromatography, and further characterized. Mass spectrometry analyses demonstrated the presence and partial localization of multiple dehydrated serines and/or threonines and (methyl)lanthionines in both peptides. Moreover, after cleavage of the leader peptide from the prepeptides, both modified propeptides displayed antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus flavus. These results demonstrate that the nisin synthetase machinery can be successfully used to modify and produce otherwise difficult to obtain antimicrobially active lantibiotics.
Collapse
|
8
|
Philmus B, Guerrette JP, Hemscheidt TK. Substrate specificity and scope of MvdD, a GRASP-like ligase from the microviridin biosynthetic gene cluster. ACS Chem Biol 2009; 4:429-34. [PMID: 19445532 DOI: 10.1021/cb900088r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The cyanobacterial protease inhibitor microviridin K is ribosomally biosynthesized as a prepeptide (MvdE) and subsequently modified posttranslationally by double lactonization followed by lactamization. Two proteins belonging to the GRASP superfamily of ligases catalyze these ring closures. We here show that one of these ligases (MvdD) forms the lactones in a specific order, the larger ring being formed first, and that the ring size requirement for both lactonizations is stringent. However, for the first cyclization MvdD accepts alanine substitution in all C-terminal positions of the microviridin prepeptide that are not directly involved in the cross-linking, whereas the second lactonization is dependent on the presence of specific residues in MvdE. This suggests that MvdD possesses some, albeit limited, substrate tolerance that might be useful for the modification of peptides and proteins not belonging to the microviridin group of metabolites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Philmus
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii, 2545 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
| | - Joshua P. Guerrette
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii, 2545 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
| | - Thomas K. Hemscheidt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii, 2545 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
McIntosh JA, Donia MS, Schmidt EW. Ribosomal peptide natural products: bridging the ribosomal and nonribosomal worlds. Nat Prod Rep 2009; 26:537-59. [PMID: 19642421 PMCID: PMC2975598 DOI: 10.1039/b714132g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Ribosomally synthesized bacterial natural products rival the nonribosomal peptides in their structural and functional diversity. The last decade has seen substantial progress in the identification and characterization of biosynthetic pathways leading to ribosomal peptide natural products with new and unusual structural motifs. In some of these cases, the motifs are similar to those found in nonribosomal peptides, and many are constructed by convergent or even paralogous enzymes. Here, we summarize the major structural and biosynthetic categories of ribosomally synthesized bacterial natural products and, where applicable, compare them to their homologs from nonribosomal biosynthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John A. McIntosh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, 30 South 2000 East Rm 201, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
| | - Mohamed S. Donia
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, 30 South 2000 East Rm 201, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
| | - Eric W. Schmidt
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah, 30 South 2000 East Rm 201, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li B, Cooper LE, van der Donk WA. Chapter 21 In Vitro Studies of Lantibiotic Biosynthesis. Methods Enzymol 2009; 458:533-58. [DOI: 10.1016/s0076-6879(09)04821-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
|
11
|
Mechanistic dissection of the enzyme complexes involved in biosynthesis of lacticin 3147 and nisin. Appl Environ Microbiol 2008; 74:6591-7. [PMID: 18791001 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01334-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The thioether rings in the lantibiotics lacticin 3147 and nisin are posttranslationally introduced by dehydration of serines and threonines, followed by coupling of these dehydrated residues to cysteines. The prepeptides of the two-component lantibiotic lacticin 3147, LtnA1 and LtnA2, are dehydrated and cyclized by two corresponding bifunctional enzymes, LtnM1 and LtnM2, and are subsequently processed and exported via one bifunctional enzyme, LtnT. In the nisin synthetase complex, the enzymes NisB, NisC, NisT, and NisP dehydrate, cyclize, export, and process prenisin, respectively. Here, we demonstrate that the combination of LtnM2 and LtnT can modify, process, and transport peptides entirely different from LtnA2 and that LtnT can process and transport unmodified LtnA2 and unrelated peptides. Furthermore, we demonstrate a higher extent of NisB-mediated dehydration in the absence of thioether rings. Thioether rings apparently inhibited dehydration, which implies alternating actions of NisB and NisC. Furthermore, certain (but not all) NisC-cyclized peptides were exported with higher efficiency as a result of their conformation. Taken together, these data provide further insight into the applicability of Lactococcus lactis strains containing lantibiotic enzymes for the design and production of modified peptides.
Collapse
|
12
|
Patton GC, Paul M, Cooper LE, Chatterjee C, van der Donk WA. The importance of the leader sequence for directing lanthionine formation in lacticin 481. Biochemistry 2008; 47:7342-51. [PMID: 18570437 DOI: 10.1021/bi800277d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Lantibiotics are post-translationally modified peptide antimicrobial agents that are synthesized with an N-terminal leader sequence and a C-terminal propeptide. Their maturation involves enzymatic dehydration of Ser and Thr residues in the precursor peptide to generate unsaturated amino acids, which react intramolecularly with nearby cysteines to form cyclic thioethers termed lanthionines and methyllanthionines. The role of the leader peptide in lantibiotic biosynthesis has been subject to much speculation. In this study, mutations of conserved residues in the leader sequence of the precursor peptide for lacticin 481 (LctA) did not inhibit dehydration and cyclization by lacticin 481 synthetase (LctM) showing that not one specific residue is essential for these transformations. These amino acids may therefore be conserved in the leader sequence of class II lantibiotics to direct other biosynthetic events, such as proteolysis of the leader peptide or transport of the active compound outside the cell. However, introduction of Pro residues into the leader peptide strongly affected the efficiency of dehydration, consistent with recognition of the secondary structure of the leader peptide by the synthetase. Furthermore, the presence of a hydrophobic residue at the position of Leu-7 appears important for enzymatic processing. Based on the data in this work and previous studies, a model for the interaction of LctM with LctA is proposed. The current study also showcases the ability to prepare other lantibiotics in the class II lacticin 481 family, including nukacin ISK-1, mutacin II, and ruminococcin A using the lacticin 481 synthetase. Surprisingly, a conserved Glu located in a ring that appears conserved in many class II lantibiotics, including those not belonging to the lacticin 481 subgroup, is not essential for antimicrobial activity of lacticin 481.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory C Patton
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
The current need for antibiotics with novel target molecules has coincided with advances in technical approaches for the structural and functional analysis of the lantibiotics, which are ribosomally synthesized peptides produced by gram-positive bacteria. These peptides have antibiotic or morphogenetic activity and are structurally defined by the presence of unusual amino acids introduced by posttranslational modification. Lantibiotics are complex polycyclic molecules formed by the dehydration of select Ser and Thr residues and the intramolecular addition of Cys thiols to the resulting unsaturated amino acids to form lanthionine and methyllanthionine bridges, respectively. Importantly, the structural and functional diversity of the lantibiotics is much broader than previously imagined. Here we discuss this growing collection of molecules and introduce some recently discovered peptides, review advances in enzymology and protein engineering, and discuss the regulatory networks that govern the synthesis of the lantibiotics by the producing organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanne M Willey
- Department of Biology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York 11549, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Levengood MR, Patton GC, van der Donk WA. The leader peptide is not required for post-translational modification by lacticin 481 synthetase. J Am Chem Soc 2007; 129:10314-5. [PMID: 17676843 PMCID: PMC2492579 DOI: 10.1021/ja072967+] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Levengood
- Roger Adams Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801
| | - Gregory C. Patton
- Roger Adams Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801
| | - Wilfred A. van der Donk
- Roger Adams Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Li B, van der Donk WA. Identification of essential catalytic residues of the cyclase NisC involved in the biosynthesis of nisin. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:21169-75. [PMID: 17513866 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m701802200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Nisin is a post-translationally modified antimicrobial peptide that has been widely used in the food industry for several decades. It contains five cyclic thioether cross-links of varying sizes that are installed by a single enzyme, NisC, that catalyzes the addition of cysteines to dehydroamino acids. The recent x-ray crystal structure of NisC has provided the first insights into the catalytic residues responsible for the cyclization step during nisin biosynthesis. In this study, the conserved residues His(212), Arg(280), Asp(141), and Tyr(285) as well as the ligands to the zinc in the active site (Cys(284), Cys(330), and His(331)) were substituted by site-directed mutagenesis. Binding studies showed that all mutants had similar affinities for NisA. Activity assays showed that whereas His(212) and Asp(141) were essential for correct cyclization as judged by the antimicrobial activity of the final product, Arg(280) and Tyr(285) were not. Mutation of zinc ligands to alanine also abolished the enzymatic activity, and these mutant proteins were shown to contain decreased levels of zinc. These results show that the zinc is essential for activity and support a model in which the zinc is used to activate the cysteines in the substrate for nucleophilic attack. These findings also argue against an essential role of Arg(280) and Tyr(285) as an active site general acid/base in the mechanism of cyclization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Li
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Paul M, Patton GC, van der Donk WA. Mutants of the zinc ligands of lacticin 481 synthetase retain dehydration activity but have impaired cyclization activity. Biochemistry 2007; 46:6268-76. [PMID: 17480057 PMCID: PMC2517114 DOI: 10.1021/bi7000104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide antibiotics. The modifications involve dehydration of Ser and Thr residues to generate dehydroalanines and dehydrobutyrines, followed by intramolecular attack of cysteines onto the newly formed dehydro amino acids to produce cyclic thioethers. LctM performs both processes during the biosynthesis of lacticin 481. Mutation of the zinc ligands Cys781 and Cys836 to alanine did not affect the dehydration activity of LctM. However, these mutations compromised cyclization activity when investigated with full length or truncated peptide substrates. Mutation of His725, another residue that is fully conserved in lantibiotic cyclases, to Asn resulted in a protein that still catalyzed dehydration of the substrate peptide and also retained cyclization activity, but at a decreased level compared to that of the wild type enzyme. Collectively, these results show that the C-terminal domain of LctM is responsible for cyclization, that the zinc ligands are critical for cyclization, and that dehydration takes place independently from the cyclization activity. Furthermore, these mutant proteins are excellent dehydratases and provide useful tools to investigate the dehydration activity as well as generate dehydrated peptides for study of the cyclization reaction by wild type LctM.
Collapse
|
17
|
You YO, van der Donk WA. Mechanistic investigations of the dehydration reaction of lacticin 481 synthetase using site-directed mutagenesis. Biochemistry 2007; 46:5991-6000. [PMID: 17455908 PMCID: PMC2517115 DOI: 10.1021/bi602663x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Lantibiotic synthetases catalyze the dehydration of Ser and Thr residues in their peptide substrates to dehydroalanine (Dha) and dehydrobutyrine (Dhb), respectively, followed by the conjugate addition of Cys residues to the Dha and Dhb residues to generate the thioether cross-links lanthionine and methyllanthionine, respectively. In this study ten conserved residues were mutated in the dehydratase domain of the best characterized family member, lacticin 481 synthetase (LctM). Mutation of His244 and Tyr408 did not affect dehydration activity with the LctA substrate whereas mutation of Asn247, Glu261, and Glu446 considerably slowed down dehydration and resulted in incomplete conversion. Mutation of Lys159 slowed down both steps of the net dehydration: phosphorylation of Ser/Thr residues and the subsequent phosphate elimination step to form the dehydro amino acids. Mutation of Arg399 to Met or Leu resulted in mutants that had phosphorylation activity but displayed greatly decreased phosphate elimination activity. The Arg399Lys mutant retained both activities, however. Similarly, the Thr405Ala mutant phosphorylated the LctA substrate but had compromised elimination activity. Finally, mutation of Asp242 or Asp259 to Asn led to mutant enzymes that lacked detectable dehydration activity. Whereas the Asp242Asn mutant retained phosphate elimination activity, the Asp259Asn mutant was not able to eliminate phosphate from a phosphorylated substrate peptide. A model is presented that accounts for the observed phenotypes of these mutant enzymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Young Ok You
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois, telephone (217) 244 5360, FAX (217) 244 8533
| | - Wilfred A. van der Donk
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois, telephone (217) 244 5360, FAX (217) 244 8533
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave, Urbana, Illinois, telephone (217) 244 5360, FAX (217) 244 8533
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone: (217) 244-5360 FAX (217) 244 8024 E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Rink R, Wierenga J, Kuipers A, Kluskens LD, Driessen AJM, Kuipers OP, Moll GN. Production of dehydroamino acid-containing peptides by Lactococcus lactis. Appl Environ Microbiol 2007; 73:1792-6. [PMID: 17261515 PMCID: PMC1828803 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02350-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2006] [Accepted: 01/09/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nisin is a pentacyclic peptide antibiotic produced by some Lactococcus lactis strains. Nisin contains dehydroresidues and thioether rings that are posttranslationally introduced by a membrane-associated enzyme complex, composed of a serine and threonine dehydratase NisB and the cyclase NisC. In addition, the transporter NisT is necessary for export of the modified peptide. We studied the potential of L. lactis expressing NisB and NisT to produce peptides whose serines and threonines are dehydrated. L. lactis containing the nisBT genes and a plasmid coding for a specific leader peptide fusion construct efficiently produced peptides with a series of non-naturally occurring multiple flanking dehydrobutyrines. We demonstrated NisB-mediated dehydration of serines and threonines in a C-terminal nisin(1-14) extension of nisin, which implies that also residues more distant from the leader peptide than those occurring in prenisin or any other lantibiotic can be modified. Furthermore, the feasibility and efficiency of generating a library of peptides containing dehydroresidues were demonstrated. In view of the particular shape and reactivity of dehydroamino acids, such a library provides a novel source for screening for peptides with desired biological and physicochemical properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rick Rink
- BiOMaDe Technology Foundation, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Cobb SL, Vederas JC. A concise stereoselective synthesis of orthogonally protected lanthionine and beta-methyllanthionine. Org Biomol Chem 2007; 5:1031-8. [PMID: 17377656 DOI: 10.1039/b618178c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Lantibiotics such as nisin are active against most Gram-positive bacteria and constitute an important class of antibacterial agents. These ribosomally synthesized peptides contain either one or both of the unusual amino acids meso-lanthionine (m-Lan) or beta-methyllanthionine (beta-MeLan). Nucleophilic ring opening of sulfamidates allows facile preparation of stereochemically pure derivatives of m-Lan and beta-MeLan with orthogonal protection for solid phase synthesis of lantibiotic analogues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven L Cobb
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Chatterjee C, Patton GC, Cooper L, Paul M, van der Donk WA. Engineering dehydro amino acids and thioethers into peptides using lacticin 481 synthetase. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 13:1109-17. [PMID: 17052615 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2006.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2006] [Revised: 08/23/2006] [Accepted: 08/23/2006] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Lantibiotics are peptide antimicrobials containing the thioether-bridged amino acids lanthionine (Lan) and methyllanthionine (MeLan) and often the dehydrated residues dehydroalanine (Dha) and dehydrobutyrine (Dhb). While biologically advantageous, the incorporation of these residues into peptides is synthetically daunting, and their production in vivo is limited to peptides containing proteinogenic amino acids. The lacticin 481 synthetase LctM offers versatile control over the installation of dehydro amino acids and thioether rings into peptides. In vitro processing of semisynthetic substrates unrelated to the prelacticin 481 peptide demonstrated the broad substrate tolerance of LctM. Furthermore, a chemoenzymatic strategy was employed to generate novel thioether linkages by cyclization of peptidic substrates containing the nonproteinogenic cysteine analogs homocysteine and beta-homocysteine. These findings are promising with respect to the utility of LctM toward preparation of conformationally constrained peptide therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Champak Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Abstract
This Perspective provides an overview of the progress in two of the original programs in my research group focused on the biosynthesis of the antibiotics nisin, lacticin 481, fosfomycin, and bialaphos. The path from start-up funds to tenure and beyond offers insights into the opportunities realized and missed along the road.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wilfred A van der Donk
- Roger Adams Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Nagao JI, Asaduzzaman SM, Aso Y, Okuda KI, Nakayama J, Sonomoto K. Lantibiotics: insight and foresight for new paradigm. J Biosci Bioeng 2006; 102:139-49. [PMID: 17046525 DOI: 10.1263/jbb.102.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2006] [Accepted: 05/18/2006] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Lantibiotics are a unique type of antimicrobial peptide produced by a large number of gram-positive bacteria that contain unusual amino acids, such as lanthionine and dehydrated amino acids. Ribosomally synthesized lantibiotic prepeptide consists of an N-terminal leader peptide followed by a C-terminal propeptide moiety that undergoes several post-translational modification events to yield a biologically active lantibiotic. Research on lantibiotics has drawn much attention in recent years and has undergone extensive progress as a step forward to the next paradigm. Unusual amino acids in lantibiotics solely contribute to their biological activity and also enhance their structural stability. Thus, enzymes involved in lantibiotic biosynthesis would have a high potential for peptide engineering by introducing unusual amino acids into desired peptides, which may establish a universal approach to advance the structural design of novel peptides, termed lantibiotic engineering. In this review, we focus on recent development with contemporary innovations and perspective of lantibiotic research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun-ichi Nagao
- Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Division of Microbial Science and Technology, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Graduate School, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Fukuoka, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Dufour A, Hindré T, Haras D, Le Pennec JP. The biology of lantibiotics from the lacticin 481 group is coming of age. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2006; 31:134-67. [PMID: 17096664 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2006.00045.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Lantibiotics are antimicrobial peptides from the bacteriocin family, secreted by Gram-positive bacteria. These peptides differ from other bacteriocins by the presence of (methyl)lanthionine residues, which result from enzymatic modification of precursor peptides encoded by structural genes. Several groups of lantibiotics have been distinguished, the largest of which is the lacticin 481 group. This group consists of at least 16 members, including lacticin 481, streptococcin A-FF22, mutacin II, nukacin ISK-1, and salivaricins. We present the first review devoted to this lantibiotic group, knowledge of which has increased significantly within the last few years. After updating the group composition and defining the common properties of these lantibiotics, we highlight the most recent developments. The latter concern: transcriptional regulation of the lantibiotic genes; understanding the biosynthetic machinery, in particular the ability to perform in vitro prepeptide maturation; characterization of a novel type of immunity protein; and broad application possibilities. This group differs in many aspects from the best known lantibiotic group (nisin group), but shares properties with less-studied groups such as the mersacidin, cytolysin and lactocin S groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alain Dufour
- Laboratoire de Biotechnologie et Chimie Marines, EA3884, Université de Bretagne Sud, Lorient, France.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
McClerren AL, Cooper LE, Quan C, Thomas PM, Kelleher NL, van der Donk WA. Discovery and in vitro biosynthesis of haloduracin, a two-component lantibiotic. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103:17243-8. [PMID: 17085596 PMCID: PMC1859917 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0606088103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized peptides that undergo posttranslational modifications to their mature, antimicrobial form. They are characterized by the unique amino acids lanthionine and methyllanthionine, introduced by means of dehydration of Ser/Thr residues followed by reaction of the resulting dehydro amino acids with cysteines to form thioether linkages. Two-component lantibiotics use two peptides that are each posttranslationally modified to yield two functionally distinct products that act in synergy to provide bactericidal activity. By using genetic data instead of isolation, a two-component lantibiotic, haloduracin, was identified in the genome of the Gram-positive alkaliphilic bacterium Bacillus halodurans C-125. We show that heterologously expressed and purified precursor peptides HalA1 and HalA2 are processed by the purified modification enzymes HalM1 and HalM2 in an in vitro reconstitution of the biosynthesis of a two-component lantibiotic. The activity of each HalM enzyme is substrate-specific, and the assay products exhibit antimicrobial activity after removal of their leader sequences at an engineered Factor Xa cleavage site, indicating that correct thioether formation has occurred. Haloduracin's biological activity depends on the presence of both modified peptides. The structures of the two mature haloduracin peptides Halalpha and Halbeta were investigated, indicating that they have similarities as well as some distinct differences compared with other two-component lantibiotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa E. Cooper
- Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Chao Quan
- Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
| | | | | | - Wilfred A. van der Donk
- Departments of *Chemistry and
- Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|