1
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Zhang YN, Wan XC, Tang Y, Chen Y, Zheng FH, Cui ZH, Zhang H, Zhou Z, Fang GM. Employing unnatural promiscuity of sortase to construct peptide macrocycle libraries for ligand discovery. Chem Sci 2024; 15:9649-9656. [PMID: 38939140 PMCID: PMC11206207 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc01992j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
With the increasing attention paid to macrocyclic scaffolds in peptide drug development, genetically encoded peptide macrocycle libraries have become invaluable sources for the discovery of high-affinity peptide ligands targeting disease-associated proteins. The traditional phage display technique of constructing disulfide-tethered macrocycles by cysteine oxidation has the inherent drawback of reduction instability of the disulfide bond. Chemical macrocyclization solves the problem of disulfide bond instability, but the involved highly electrophilic reagents are usually toxic to phages and may bring undesirable side reactions. Here, we report a unique Sortase-mediated Peptide Ligation and One-pot Cyclization strategy (SPLOC) to generate peptide macrocycle libraries, avoiding the undesired reactions of electrophiles with phages. The key to this platform is to mine the unnatural promiscuity of sortase on the X residue of the pentapeptide recognition sequence (LPXTG). Low reactive electrophiles are incorporated into the X-residue side chain, enabling intramolecular cyclization with the cysteine residue of the phage-displayed peptide library. Utilizing the genetically encoded peptide macrocycle library constructed by the SPLOC platform, we found a high-affinity bicyclic peptide binding TEAD4 with a nanomolar KD value (63.9 nM). Importantly, the binding affinity of the bicyclic peptide ligand is 102-fold lower than that of the acyclic analogue. To our knowledge, this is the first time to mine the unnatural promiscuity of ligases to generate peptide macrocycles, providing a new avenue for the construction of genetically encoded cyclic peptide libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Ni Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University Hefei 230601 P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Cui Wan
- School of Life Sciences, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University Hefei 230601 P. R. China
| | - Yang Tang
- Department of Medical Ultrasound, Department of Stomatology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University Cancer Center, Tongji University School of Medicine Shanghai 200072 P. R. China
| | - Ying Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University Hefei 230601 P. R. China
| | - Feng-Hao Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University Hefei 230601 P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Hui Cui
- School of Life Sciences, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University Hefei 230601 P. R. China
| | - Hua Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University Hefei 230601 P. R. China
| | - Zhaocai Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai 200438 P. R. China
| | - Ge-Min Fang
- School of Life Sciences, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University Hefei 230601 P. R. China
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2
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Chen FJ, Pinnette N, Gao J. Strategies for the Construction of Multicyclic Phage Display Libraries. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400072. [PMID: 38466139 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Peptide therapeutics have gained great interest due to their multiple advantages over small molecule and antibody-based drugs. Peptide drugs are easier to synthesize, have the potential for oral bioavailability, and are large enough to target protein-protein interactions that are undruggable by small molecules. However, two major limitations have made it difficult to develop novel peptide therapeutics not derived from natural products, including the metabolic instability of peptides and the difficulty of reaching antibody-like potencies and specificities. Compared to linear and disulfide-monocyclized peptides, multicyclic peptides can provide increased conformational rigidity, enhanced metabolic stability, and higher potency in inhibiting protein-protein interactions. The identification of novel multicyclic peptide binders can be difficult, however, recent advancements in the construction of multicyclic phage libraries have greatly advanced the process of identifying novel multicyclic peptide binders for therapeutically relevant protein targets. This review will describe the current approaches used to create multicyclic peptide libraries, highlighting the novel chemistries developed and the proof-of-concept work done on validating these libraries against different protein targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa-Jie Chen
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Nicole Pinnette
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA-02467, USA
| | - Jianmin Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA-02467, USA
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3
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Yi Y, An HW, Wang H. Intelligent Biomaterialomics: Molecular Design, Manufacturing, and Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2305099. [PMID: 37490938 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Materialomics integrates experiment, theory, and computation in a high-throughput manner, and has changed the paradigm for the research and development of new functional materials. Recently, with the rapid development of high-throughput characterization and machine-learning technologies, the establishment of biomaterialomics that tackles complex physiological behaviors has become accessible. Breakthroughs in the clinical translation of nanoparticle-based therapeutics and vaccines have been observed. Herein, recent advances in biomaterials, including polymers, lipid-like materials, and peptides/proteins, discovered through high-throughput screening or machine learning-assisted methods, are summarized. The molecular design of structure-diversified libraries; high-throughput characterization, screening, and preparation; and, their applications in drug delivery and clinical translation are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the prospects and main challenges in future biomaterialomics and high-throughput screening development are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Yi
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Hong-Wei An
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Hao Wang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), No. 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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4
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Wan XC, Zhang YN, Zhang H, Chen Y, Cui ZH, Zhu WJ, Fang GM. Asparaginyl Endopeptidase-Mediated Peptide Cyclization for Phage Display. Org Lett 2024; 26:2601-2605. [PMID: 38529932 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
We report here an enzymatic strategy for asparaginyl endopeptidase-mediated peptide cyclization. Incorporation of chloroacetyl groups into the recognition sequence of OaAEP1 enabled intramolecular cyclization with Cys residues. Combining this strategy and phage display, we identified nanomolar macrocyclic peptide ligands targeting TEAD4. One of the bicyclic peptides binds to TEAD4 with a KD value of 139 nM, 16 times lower than its linear analogue, demonstrating the utility of this platform in discovering high-affinity macrocyclic peptide ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Cui Wan
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Institute of Health Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P.R. China
| | - Yan-Ni Zhang
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Institute of Health Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P.R. China
| | - Hua Zhang
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Institute of Health Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P.R. China
| | - Ying Chen
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Institute of Health Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Hui Cui
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Institute of Health Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Jing Zhu
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Institute of Health Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P.R. China
| | - Ge-Min Fang
- School of Life Science, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Institute of Health Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, P.R. China
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5
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Zhan MM, Xing Y, Li Z, Yin F. A GSH-resistant FK228 analogue containing a stable disulfide bond. Bioorg Chem 2024; 144:107119. [PMID: 38219481 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107119] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
FK228 is a potent natural pan HDAC inhibitor approved by the FDA for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma as well as peripheral T-cell lymphoma. It is generally believed that the mechanism of FK228 acting on HDACs is by reducing its disulfide bond after entering the cell, and the dithiol group may chelate with Zn2+ and form a weak reversible covalent bond with cysteine in the catalytic pocket of HDACs, therefore inhibiting the activity of HDACs. However, due to the weak stability of the disulfide bond in FK228, it has been difficult to obtain direct evidence for the above conjecture. Thus, improving the stability of the FK228 disulfide bond will help to explore the exact mechanism of FK228. In this study, based on the stability and target-induced covalent properties of the Cysteine-Penicillamine (Cys-Pen) disulfide bond reported previously, the Pen was introduced into the modification of FK228. Specifically, the d-Cys in FK228 was replaced by d-Pen, the total synthetic pathway was optimized, and the novel synthetic FK228 analogue (FK-P) stability was verified. FK-P can also be used as a new drug molecule in the future to participate in the research of related biological mechanisms or the treatment of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Miao Zhan
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Yun Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zigang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China; Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China.
| | - Feng Yin
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China.
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6
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Li J, Liu H, Xiao S, Fan S, Cheng X, Wu C. De Novo Discovery of Cysteine Frameworks for Developing Multicyclic Peptide Libraries for Ligand Discovery. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:28264-28275. [PMID: 38092662 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Conserved cysteine frameworks are essential components of disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs), which dominantly define the structural diversity of both naturally occurring and de novo-designed DRPs. However, there are only very limited numbers of conserved cysteine frameworks, and general methods enabling de novo discovery of cysteine frameworks with robust foldability are still not available. Here, we devised a "touchstone"-based strategy that relies on chasing oxidative foldability between two individual disulfide-rich folds on the phage surface to discover new cysteine frameworks from random sequences. Unique cysteine frameworks with a high degree of compatibility with phage display systems and broad sequence tolerance were successfully identified, which were subsequently exploited for the development of multicyclic DRP libraries, enabling the rapid discovery of new peptide ligands with low-nanomolar and picomolar binding affinity. This study provides an unprecedented method for exploring and exploiting the sequence and structure space of DRPs that is not readily accessible by existing strategies, holding the potential to revolutionize the study of DRPs and significantly advance the design and discovery of multicyclic peptide ligands and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjing Li
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Hongtan Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shuling Xiao
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Xueting Cheng
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
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7
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He F, Chai Y, Zeng Z, Lu F, Chen H, Zhu J, Fang Y, Cheng K, Miclet E, Alezra V, Wan Y. Rapid Formation of Intramolecular Disulfide Bridges using Light: An Efficient Method to Control the Conformation and Function of Bioactive Peptides. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:22639-22648. [PMID: 37788450 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c07795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Disulfide bonds are widely found in natural peptides and play a pivotal role in stabilizing their secondary structures, which are highly associated with their biological functions. Herein, we introduce a light-mediated strategy to effectively control the formation of disulfides. Our strategy is based on 2-nitroveratryl (oNv), a widely used photolabile motif, which serves both as a photocaging group and an oxidant (after photolysis). We demonstrated that irradiation of oNv-caged thiols with UV light could release free thiols that are rapidly oxidized by locally released byproduct nitrosoarene, leading to a "break-to-bond" fashion. This strategy is highlighted by the in situ restoration of the antimicrobial peptide tachyplesin I (TPI) from its external disulfide-caged analogue TPI-1. TPI-1 exhibits a distorted structure and a diminished function. However, upon irradiation, the β-hairpin structure and membrane activity of TPI were largely restored via rapid intramolecular disulfide formation. Our study proposes a powerful method to regulate the conformation and function of peptides in a spatiotemporal manner, which has significant potential for the design of disulfide-centered light-responsive systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng He
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Yu Chai
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Zizhen Zeng
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Fangling Lu
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Huanwen Chen
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Jinhua Zhu
- Institute of TCM, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, P. R. China
| | - Yuanying Fang
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
| | - Keguang Cheng
- State Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, P. R. China
| | - Emeric Miclet
- Sorbonne Université, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Laboratoire des Biomolécules, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Valérie Alezra
- Laboratoire de Méthodologie, Synthèse et Molécules Thérapeutiques, ICMMO, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay 91400, France
| | - Yang Wan
- National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, P. R. China
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8
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Chen FJ, Pinnette N, Yang F, Gao J. A Cysteine-Directed Proximity-Driven Crosslinking Method for Native Peptide Bicyclization. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202306813. [PMID: 37285100 PMCID: PMC10527288 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202306813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Efficient and site-specific modification of native peptides and proteins is desirable for synthesizing antibody-drug conjugates as well as for constructing chemically modified peptide libraries using genetically encoded platforms such as phage display. In particular, there is much interest in efficient multicyclization of native peptides due to the appeals of multicyclic peptides as therapeutics. However, conventional approaches for multicyclic peptide synthesis require orthogonal protecting groups or non-proteinogenic clickable handles. Herein, we report a cysteine-directed proximity-driven strategy for the constructing bicyclic peptides from simple natural peptide precursors. This linear to bicycle transformation initiates with rapid cysteine labeling, which then triggers proximity-driven amine-selective cyclization. This bicyclization proceeds rapidly under physiologic conditions, yielding bicyclic peptides with a Cys-Lys-Cys, Lys-Cys-Lys or N-terminus-Cys-Cys stapling pattern. We demonstrate the utility and power of this strategy by constructing bicyclic peptides fused to proteins as well as to the M13 phage, paving the way to phage display of novel bicyclic peptide libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa-Jie Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Nicole Pinnette
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| | - Jianmin Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
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9
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Heinis C. Motifs for making tricycles. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:799-800. [PMID: 37156942 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01329-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Heinis
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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10
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Liao Y, Wang M, Jiang X. Sulfur-containing peptides: Synthesis and application in the discovery of potential drug candidates. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 75:102336. [PMID: 37269675 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Peptides act as biological mediators and play a key role of various physiological activities. Sulfur-containing peptides are widely used in natural products and drug molecules due to their unique biological activity and chemical reactivity of sulfur. Disulfides, thioethers, and thioamides are the most common motifs of sulfur-containing peptides, and they have been extensively studied and developed for synthetic methodology as well as pharmaceutical applications. This review focuses on the illustration of these three motifs in natural products and drugs, as well as the recent advancements in the synthesis of the corresponding core scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Liao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Process, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Process, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xuefeng Jiang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Process, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, China.
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11
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Lu S, Fan S, Xiao S, Li J, Zhang S, Wu Y, Kong C, Zhuang J, Liu H, Zhao Y, Wu C. Disulfide-Directed Multicyclic Peptide Libraries for the Discovery of Peptide Ligands and Drugs. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1964-1972. [PMID: 36633218 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Multicyclic peptides with stable 3D structures are a kind of novel and promising peptide formats for drug design and discovery as they have the potential to combine the best characteristics of small molecules and proteins. However, the development of multicyclic peptides is largely limited to naturally occurring products. It remains a big challenge to develop multicyclic peptides with new structures and functions without recourse to the existing natural scaffolds. Here, we report a general and robust method relying on the utility of new disulfide-directing motifs for designing and discovering diverse multicyclic peptides with potent protein-binding capability. These peptides, referred to as disulfide-directed multicyclic peptides (DDMPs), are tolerant to extensive sequence manipulations and variations of disulfide-pairing frameworks, enabling the development of de novo DDMP libraries useful for ligand and drug discovery. This study opens a new avenue for creating a new generation of multicyclic peptides in sequence and structure space inaccessible by natural scaffolds, thus would greatly benefit the field of peptide drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaimin Lu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shuling Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jinjing Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shilong Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Yapei Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuilian Kong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Hongtan Liu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
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12
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Meng X, Xu C, Fan S, Dong M, Zhuang J, Duan Z, Zhao Y, Wu C. Selection and evolution of disulfide-rich peptides via cellular protein quality control. Chem Sci 2023; 14:3668-3675. [PMID: 37006698 PMCID: PMC10055976 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc05343h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A selection system leveraging cellular protein quality control (termed PQC-select) has been designed to select DRPs with robust foldability from random sequences, providing valuable scaffolds for developing peptide-based probes or therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Meng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chaoying Xu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Meng Dong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Zengping Duan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
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13
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Wu Y, Fan S, Dong M, Li J, Kong C, Zhuang J, Meng X, Lu S, Zhao Y, Wu C. Structure-guided design of CPPC-paired disulfide-rich peptide libraries for ligand and drug discovery. Chem Sci 2022; 13:7780-7789. [PMID: 35865895 PMCID: PMC9258321 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00924b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides constrained through multiple disulfides (or disulfide-rich peptides, DRPs) have been an emerging frontier for ligand and drug discovery. Such peptides have the potential to combine the binding capability of biologics with the stability and bioavailability of smaller molecules. However, DRPs with stable three-dimensional (3D) structures are usually of natural origin or engineered from natural ones. Here, we report the discovery and identification of CPPC (cysteine–proline–proline–cysteine) motif-directed DRPs with stable 3D structures (i.e., CPPC–DRPs). A range of new CPPC–DRPs were designed or selected from either random or structure–convergent peptide libraries. Thus, for the first time we revealed that the CPPC–DRPs can maintain diverse 3D structures by taking advantage of constraints from unique dimeric CPPC mini-loops, including irregular structures and regular α-helix and β-sheet folds. New CPPC–DRPs that can specifically bind the receptors (CD28) on the cell surface were also successfully discovered and identified using our DRP-discovery platform. Overall, this study provides the basis for accessing an unconventional peptide structure space previously inaccessible by natural DRPs and computational designs, inspiring the development of new peptide ligands and therapeutics. CPPC-paired disulfide-rich peptides with stable 3D structures have been discovered through rational library design and screening, providing unconventional peptide scaffolds for the development of new peptide therapeutics.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yapei Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Meng Dong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Jinjing Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuilian Kong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Xiaoting Meng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Shuaimin Lu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
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14
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Li B, Wan Z, Zheng H, Cai S, Tian HW, Tang H, Chu X, He G, Guo DS, Xue XS, Chen G. Construction of Complex Macromulticyclic Peptides via Stitching with Formaldehyde and Guanidine. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:10080-10090. [PMID: 35639413 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c04620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in constructing multicyclic peptide structures to expand the chemical space of peptides. Conventional strategies for constructing large peptide structures are limited by the typical reliance on the inflexible coupling between premade templates equipped with fixed reactive handles and peptide substrates via cysteine anchors. Herein, we report the development of a facile three-component condensation reaction of primary alkyl amine, formaldehyde, and guanidine for construction of complex macromulticyclic peptides with novel topologies via lysine anchors. Moreover, the reaction sequences can be orchestrated in different anchor combinations and spatial arrangements to generate various macrocyclic structures crosslinked by distinct fused tetrahydrotriazine linkages. The macrocyclization reactions are selective, efficient, versatile, and workable in both organic and aqueous media. Thus, the condensation reaction provides a smart tool for stitching native peptides in situ using simple methylene threads and guanidine joints in a flexible and programmable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Li
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Zhao Wan
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Hanliang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Shaokun Cai
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Han-Wen Tian
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Hong Tang
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xin Chu
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Gang He
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Guo
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xiao-Song Xue
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Key Laboratory of Organofluorine Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Gong Chen
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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15
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Dong H, Li J, Liu H, Lu S, Wu J, Zhang Y, Yin Y, Zhao Y, Wu C. Design and Ribosomal Incorporation of Noncanonical Disulfide-Directing Motifs for the Development of Multicyclic Peptide Libraries. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:5116-5125. [PMID: 35289603 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The engineering of naturally occurring disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs) has been significantly hampered by the difficulty of manipulating disulfide pairing. New DRPs that take advantage of fold-directing motifs and noncanonical thiol-bearing amino acids are easy-to-fold with expected disulfide connectivities, representing a new class of scaffolds for the development of peptide ligands and therapeutics. However, the limited diversity of the scaffolds and particularly the use of noncanonical amino acids [e.g., penicillamine (Pen)] that are difficult to be translated by ribosomes greatly hamper the further development and application of these DRPs. Here, we designed and synthesized noncanonical bisthiol motifs bearing sterically obstructed thiol groups analogous to the Pen thiol to direct the folding of peptides into specific bicyclic and tricyclic structures. These bisthiol motifs can be ribosomally incorporated into peptides through a commercially available PURE system integrated with genetic code reprograming, which enables, for the first time, the in vitro expression of bicyclic peptides with two noncanonical and orthogonal disulfide bonds. We further constructed a bicyclic peptide library encoded by mRNA, with which new bicyclic peptide ligands with nanomolar affinity to proteins were successfully selected. Therefore, this study provides a new, general, and robust method for discovering de novo DRPs with new structures and functions not derived from natural peptides, which would greatly benefit the field of peptide drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huilei Dong
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P.R. China
| | - Jinjing Li
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P.R. China
| | - Hongtan Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P.R. China
| | - Shuaimin Lu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P.R. China
| | - Junjie Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China
| | - Youming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China
| | - Yizhen Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P.R. China
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16
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Ma D, Sun J, Shen S, Chen H, Xu W, Wang Y, Song C, Shi T, Huo S. Deprotection of S-Acetamidomethyl and 1,3-Thiazolidine-4-Carbonyl Protecting Groups from Cysteine Side Chains in Peptides by trans-[PtX 2(CN) 4] 2-: One-Pot Regioselective Synthesis of Disulfide Bonds. J Org Chem 2022; 87:1470-1476. [PMID: 34985274 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c02793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we developed an efficient approach for disulfide bond formation in peptides utilizing the Pt(IV) complex trans-[PtBr2(CN)4]2- to mediate Acm and Thz deprotections. [PtBr2(CN)4]2- can oxidatively deprotect two Acm groups or deprotect one Thz group and one Acm group to directly form an intramolecular disulfide bond in peptides. Several disulfide-containing peptides with excellent yields were achieved via the deprotection method in an aqueous medium under aerobic conditions. Kinetic studies indicated that the dominant path of the reaction is of first-order in both [Pt(IV)] and [peptide]; moreover, the deprotection rate increased dramatically with the addition of NaBr. A mechanism including a bromide-bridge-mediated electron transfer process was proposed. Apamin, α-conotoxin SI, and the parallel homodimer of oxytocin, all containing two disulfide bonds, were synthesized regioselectively through a one-pot method by the combined use of the above deprotection approach with oxidants l-methionine selenoxide and [PtBr2(CN)4]2-. All of the reactions were completed within 30 min to afford good yields for these peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongying Ma
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, and MOE Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Jingjing Sun
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, and MOE Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Shigang Shen
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, and MOE Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Hua Chen
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, and MOE Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Wenzhi Xu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, and MOE Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Yafang Wang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, and MOE Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Changying Song
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, and MOE Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei, P. R. China
| | - Tiesheng Shi
- College of Chemistry Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang 277160, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Shuying Huo
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, and MOE Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei, P. R. China
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17
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Schwalen C, Babu C, Phulera S, Hao Q, Wall D, Nettleton DO, Pathak TP, Siuti P. Scalable Biosynthetic Production of Knotted Peptides Enables ADME and Thermodynamic Folding Studies. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:29555-29566. [PMID: 34778627 PMCID: PMC8582066 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c03707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Knotted peptides present a wealth of structurally diverse, biologically active molecules, with the inhibitor cystine knot/knottin class among the most ecologically common ones. Many of these natural products interact with extracellular targets such as voltage-gated ion channels with exquisite selectivity and potency, making them intriguing therapeutic modalities. Such compounds are often produced in low concentrations by intractable organisms, making structural and biological characterization challenging, which is frequently overcome by various expression strategies. Here, we sought to test a biosynthetic route for the expression and study of knotted peptides. We screened expression constructs for a biosynthesized knotted peptide to determine the most influential parameters for successful disulfide folding and used NMR spectroscopic fingerprinting to validate topological structures. We performed pharmacokinetic characterization, which indicated that the interlocking disulfide structure minimizes liabilities of linear peptide sequences, and propose a mechanism by which knotted peptides are cleared. We then developed an assay to monitor solution folding in real time, providing a strategy for studying the folding process during maturation, which provided direct evidence for the importance of backbone organization as the driving force for topology formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher
J. Schwalen
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Charles Babu
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Swastik Phulera
- Chemical
Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, Cambridge Massachusetts, 02139, United States
| | - Qin Hao
- Pharmacokinetic
Sciences, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical
Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Daniel Wall
- Pharmacokinetic
Sciences, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical
Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - David O. Nettleton
- Pharmacokinetic
Sciences, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical
Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Tejas P. Pathak
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Piro Siuti
- Global
Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes
for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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18
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Zha J, Li J, Fan S, Duan Z, Zhao Y, Wu C. An evolution-inspired strategy to design disulfide-rich peptides tolerant to extensive sequence manipulation. Chem Sci 2021; 12:11464-11472. [PMID: 34567500 PMCID: PMC8409457 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc02952e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural disulfide-rich peptides (DRPs) are valuable scaffolds for the development of new bioactive molecules and therapeutics. However, there are only a limited number of topologically distinct DRP folds in nature, and most of them suffer from the problem of in vitro oxidative folding. Thus, strategies to design DRPs with new constrained topologies beyond the scope of natural folds are desired. Herein we report a general evolution-inspired strategy to design new DRPs with diverse disulfide frameworks, which relies on the incorporation of two cysteine residues and a random peptide sequence into a precursor disulfide-stabilized fold. These peptides can spontaneously fold in redox buffers to the expected tricyclic topologies with high yields. Moreover, we demonstrated that these DRPs can be used as templates for the construction of phage-displayed peptide libraries, enabling the discovery of new DRP ligands from fully randomized sequences. This study thus paves the way for the development of new DRP ligands and therapeutics with structures not derived from natural DRPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zha
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China .,College of Continuing Education, Guizhou Minzu University Guiyang 550025 China
| | - Jinjing Li
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Shihui Fan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Zengping Duan
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Yibing Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 P.R. China
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19
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Schröder HV, Zhang Y, Link AJ. Dynamic covalent self-assembly of mechanically interlocked molecules solely made from peptides. Nat Chem 2021; 13:850-857. [PMID: 34426684 PMCID: PMC8446321 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-021-00770-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs), such as rotaxanes and catenanes, have captured the attention of chemists both from a synthetic perspective and because of their role as simple prototypes of molecular machines. Although examples exist in nature, most synthetic MIMs are made from artificial building blocks and assembled in organic solvents. Synthesis of MIMs from natural biomolecules remains highly challenging. Here we report on a synthesis strategy for interlocked molecules solely made from peptides—mechanically interlocked peptides (MIPs). Fully peptidic, cysteine-decorated building blocks were self-assembled in water to generate disulfide-bonded dynamic combinatorial libraries consisting of multiple different rotaxanes, catenanes and daisy chains as well as more exotic structures. Detailed NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry characterization of a [2]catenane comprised of two peptide macrocycles revealed that this structure has rich conformational dynamics reminiscent of protein folding. Thus, MIPs can serve as a bridge between fully synthetic MIMs and those found in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik V Schröder
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - A James Link
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. .,Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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20
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Zhu HY, Wu M, Yu FQ, Zhang YN, Xi TK, Chen K, Fang GM. Chemical synthesis of thioether-bonded bicyclic peptides using tert-butylthio and Trt-protected cysteines. Tetrahedron Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2021.152875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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