Kuhn-Nentwig L, Dathe M, Walz A, Schaller J, Nentwig W. Cupiennin 1d*: the cytolytic activity depends on the hydrophobic N-terminus and is modulated by the polar C-terminus.
FEBS Lett 2002;
527:193-8. [PMID:
12220659 DOI:
10.1016/s0014-5793(02)03219-2]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
To investigate structural features modulating the biological activity of cupiennin 1 peptides from the spider Cupiennius salei, three truncated cupiennin 1d analogs were synthesized. The fact that their growth inhibiting effect on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, their lytic activity with human red blood cells and their insecticidal effect on Drosophila melanogaster correlates with structural properties shows that the hydrophobic N-terminal chain segment includes the major determinants of structure and activity. The polar C-terminus seems to modulate peptide accumulation at negatively charged cell surfaces via electrostatic interactions and has no important effect on the peptides' amphipathic secondary structure.
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