新疆家蚕抗菌肽基因突变及其抗菌活性的研究

为了改变抗菌肽的结构参数,探讨其结构与活性的关系,采用PCR扩增和人工合成基因的方法,对新疆家蚕抗菌肽基因进行改造及原核表达蛋白的抑菌活性研究.结果表明,α-螺旋、两亲性、疏水性、净正电荷数和关键氨基酸的替换等参数是相互依赖、相互影响,协同发挥作用,任何一个参数的改变都会影响抗菌肽整体的活性.α-螺旋是抗菌肽功能有效性的结构基础,但其所处的位置可能并不影响抗菌活性:两亲性结构是抗菌肽与生物膜相互作用的重要结构;疏水性程度必须保持在一定的范围内;在一定范围内增加多肽的阳离子能够增加抗菌活性,但正电荷数和抗菌活性之间无绝对正相关性;色氨酸的存在及抗菌肽的C-末端酰胺化能增强抗菌活性.     

利用亮氨酸和赖氨酸设计新型α-螺旋抗菌肽

【目的】根据螺旋轮模型设计以亮氨酸(L)为疏水面,赖氨酸(K)为亲水面的新型α-螺旋抗菌肽LK,并对该抗菌肽的生物学活性进行检测。【方法】利用圆二色光谱分析LK的二级结构,同时,评价LK的抑菌活性、稳定性和细胞选择性。【结果】在模拟细胞膜的环境中LK呈α-螺旋型结构。LK对多种革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌有很强的抑菌活性,最小抑菌浓度(MIC)在2-4μmol/L之间。LK具有很强的酸碱盐稳定性。肽浓度为2-4μmol/L时,LK表现出较低的溶血活性和细胞毒性。【结论】根据螺旋轮模型结构,以疏水性的L和正电荷性的K设计的新型抗菌肽LK具有较高的细胞选择性及稳定性,具有替代抗生素的发展潜力。     

抗菌肽SMAP-29结构功能及分子设计策略

抗菌肽是生物体内产生的一种具有生物活性的小分子多肽,具有广谱抗细菌、抗病毒、抗真菌甚至抗癌作用。SMAP-29是来源于绵羊骨髓细胞,包含29个氨基酸的Cathelicidin类α-螺旋结构抗菌肽。SMAP-29具有多种生物活性,包括抗革兰氏阳/阴性菌、抗真菌、抗病毒、抗寄生虫、抗螺旋体、抗衣原体和中和内毒素活性,并且具有作用机制独特、快速杀灭细菌的特点。以下综述了SMAP-29抗菌肽家族的基因和蛋白结构、结构与活性关系、作用机制、生物功能、基因重组表达,重点阐述了SMAP-29结构、分子设计的必要性和基于     

东北林蛙皮肤中一类新抗菌肽cDNA的克隆及成熟肽的预测

为进一步研究和开发高效广谱天然抗生素的抗菌肽,本文克隆东北林蛙(Rana dybowskii)的抗菌肽基因,并预测其成熟肽的有关性质。根据蛙属抗菌肽信号肽末端序列设计简并引物,以RT-PCR技术扩增皮肤中抗菌肽的cDNA,并进行克隆测序。用生物信息学软件分析cDNA序列特点,预测成熟肽的理化性质。研究发现一种长度为28个氨基酸残基的新抗菌肽dybowsin-1,该肽具有Rana box结构;与已发现的抗菌肽仅有35%的同源性;理论等电点在9.70-10.01之间;均呈阳离子性;从第3或4个氨基酸开始到第16个氨基酸形成α-螺旋结构,极性氨基酸位于螺旋轮的一侧,非极性氨基酸位于螺旋轮的另一侧;具有N-端疏水、C-端亲水的两亲性。一个个体表达5条cDNA序列编码3种不同的dybowsin-1分子,显示出该抗菌肽表达的多样性。序列分析显示,该抗菌肽可能由多基因座位编码。     

α-螺旋型抗菌肽结构参数与功能活性的关系

随着耐药病原菌出现,寻求更为安全有效的新型抗菌制剂迫在眉睫。抗菌肽具有广谱抗菌活性,杀菌快,不易产生耐药性等优点,是理想的新型抗菌剂,具有广阔前景。α-螺旋型抗菌肽是抗菌肽中的一大类。本文从α-螺旋型抗菌肽螺旋度,疏水力矩,疏水性,净正电荷数等方面阐述了结构与功能关系,及构效关系在α-螺旋抗菌肽分子设计与改造中的应用。     

FtsZ(236-245)区域的两性螺旋特性对大肠埃希氏菌FtsZ组装和功能的影响

【目的】探索大肠埃希氏菌(Escherichia coli,E.coli)FtsZ(236-245)结构域两性螺旋特性对FtsZ组装和FtsZ-FtsA相互作用的影响。【方法】利用分子克隆和定点突变技术,构建FtsZ及其突变体表达载体,亲和纯化获得相应目标蛋白;通过同源重组和Pl转导构建QN23-QN29菌株;利用活细胞成像观察FtsZ及其突变体的胞内定位特点;膜蛋白分离和Western blot分析FtsZ突变体的膜结合特性变化;非变性胶分离和体外聚合分析检测定点突变对FtsZ单体组装特性的影响;免疫沉淀和Far Western blot实验检测FtsZ/FtsZ~*-FtsA间的相互作用。【结果】FtsZ~(E234A/K)和FtsZ~(E241A/K)突变体的功能活性降低、备突变体在E.coli内不能正确定位和形成功能性Z环;E237A/K和E241A/K位点突变致备突变体聚合能力降低、FtsZ*-FtsA的相互作用减弱和FtsZ的膜结合特性变化。【结论】E237和E241是影响FtsZ(236-245)区域两性螺旋特性和FtsZ组装及FtsZ-FtsA相互作用的重要氨基酸。     

重组链激酶及其三种突变体的活性研究

利用PCR技术从Streptococucspyogenes的基因组DNA中扩增了链激酶的编码基因ska,并进行了序列分析 ,利用基因删除及定点位变技术获得了删除了C-末端 42个氨基酸残基编码区的突变链激酶基因skaΔC42 ,第 5 9位Lys残基突变为Glu的突变链激酶基因skaK5 9E以及删除C-末端 42个氨基酸且第 5 9位Lys残基突变为Glu的突变链激酶基因skaΔC42K5 9E ,将ska及其三种突变体分别克隆到表达载体pET 1 5b上 ,构建分别表达野生型链激酶 (SK)、C-末端缺失 42个氨基酸残基的突变体 (SKΔC42 )、第 5 9位Lys残基突变为Glu的突变体 (SKK5 9E)及C-末端缺失 42个氨基酸且第 5 9位Lys残基突变为Glu突变体 (SKΔC42K5 9E)的表达载体pSK ,pSKΔC42 ,pSK K5 9E ,pSKΔC42K5 9E ,分别转化E .coliBL2 1 (DE3) ,IPTG诱导后在大肠杆菌中实现了高效表达 ,经亲和层析、离子交换层析及分子筛层析 ,获得了rSK、rSKΔC42、rSKK5 9E及rSKΔC42K5 9E ,活性分析表明rSK与其三种突变体具有相同的比活性。     

天蚕素类抗菌肽分子设计研究进展

天蚕素是一类由31~39个氨基酸残基组成的阳离子型线性α螺旋抗菌肽,具有抗细菌、抗真菌、抗病毒以及抑制肿瘤细胞等生物活性。天蚕素与传统抗生素作用机制不同,具有不易产生耐药性的特点,因此成为解决传统抗生素多重耐药性问题的一个新突破口。然而,天蚕素在抗菌活性、选择性、毒性以及稳定性等方面还存在诸多问题,并且天然天蚕素提取工艺复杂,成本较高,不适合大规模生产,其对细菌的高毒性也限制了原核工程菌的使用。近年来多肽分子设计的研究方法颇受青睐,为解决多肽物质诸多问题开辟了新的途径。针对天蚕素类抗菌肽研究过程中面临的主要问题综述了其分子设计的研究进展。     

家蚕抗菌肽-死亡素杂合肽基因在大肠杆菌中的克隆与表达

近年来的研究发现,抗菌蛋白在生物体非专一性防御系统有着重要的作用,已有数十种具有抗菌活性的多肽被分离,这些多肽可大致分为3类,即含分子内二硫桥的抗菌肽;具有双亲a-螺旋结构的抗菌肽;以及富含某种氨基酸残基的抗菌肽[1],一般来说,这些抗菌肽具有分子量小,稳定性好,无细胞毒性,抗菌谱广等特点.多种抗菌肽的一级结构和二级结构已经确定[2],但作用机理仍不明了.一般认为可能存在两种作用模式,即1)通过肽-脂膜相关作用杀菌;2)通过受体介导的识别过程起作用[1].     

抗菌肽CMIV末端结构对其活性的影响

抗菌肽作为一种新型多肽药物越来越受到人们的重视.但是到目前为止对于抗菌肽的作用机理仍然不太明确.将抗菌肽CMIV基因及其变体基因X克隆入GST融合表达系统.分别用不同的切割试剂切割后得到N-端具有多余氨基酸的抗菌肽CMIV以及C-端未酰胺化的抗菌肽CMIV,这些多肽均丧失了抗菌活性,而N-端无多余氨基酸,以及C-端加进1个天冬酰胺的多肽具有抗菌活性.实验结果提示:抗菌肽原有的末端结构对其生物活性至关重要.     

Role of helicity of α-helical antimicrobial peptides to improve specificity

A major barrier to the use of antimicrobial peptides as antibiotics is the toxicity or ability to lyse eukaryotic cells. In this study, a 26-residue amphipathic α-helical antimicrobial peptide A12L/A20L (Ac-KWKSFLKTFKSLK KTVLHTLLKAISS-amide) was used as the framework to design a series of D- and L-diastereomeric peptides and study the relationships of helicity and biological activities of α-helical antimicrobial peptides. Peptide helicity was measured by circular dichroism spectroscopy and demonstrated to correlate with the hydrophobicity of peptides and the numbers of D-amino acid substitutions. Therapeutic index was used to evaluate the selectivity of peptides against prokaryotic cells. By introducing D-amino acids to replace the original L-amino acids on the non-polar face or the polar face of the helix, the hemolytic activity of peptide analogs have been significantly reduced. Compared to the parent peptide, the therapeutic indices were improved of 44-fold and 22-fold against Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria, respectively. In addition, D- and L-diastereomeric peptides exhibited lower interaction with zwitterionic eukaryotic membrane and showed the significant membrane damaging effect to bacterial cells. Helicity was proved to play a crucial role on peptide specificity and biological activities. By simply replacing the hydrophobic or the hydrophilic amino acid residues on the non-polar or the polar face of these amphipathic derivatives of the parent peptide with D-amino acids, we demonstrated that this method could have excellent potential for the rational design of antimicrobial peptides with enhanced specificity.     

Pleurocidin-derived antifungal peptides with selective membrane-disruption effect

Pleurocidin (Ple) is a peptide derived from the winter flounder. In our previous study, we reported the antifungal effect of Ple and its mode of action. To develop novel antifungal peptides useful as therapeutic agents, two analogs, with amino acid substitutions, were designed to decrease the net hydrophobicity by Arg (R) or Ser (S)-substitution at the hydrophobic face of Ple without changing the amphipathic structure. By substituting Ser, the hydrophobicity of the peptide (anal-S) was decreased, and by substituting Arg, though the hydrophobicity of the peptide (anal-R) was decreased, the cationicity of this peptide was increased. CD measurements showed the substitution of Arg or Ser decrease the α-helical conformation of analog peptides. Studies with analog peptides have shown decreases in hydrophobicity and α-helicity do not affect antifungal activity but decrease hemolytic activity. These results suggest that highly hydrophobic and α-helical natures are not desirable in the design of antimicrobial peptides.     

Mechanism of action and relationship between structure and biological activity of Ctx-Ha: a new ceratotoxin-like peptide from Hypsiboas albopunctatus

The increase in bacterial resistance to current antibiotics has led to the development of new active molecules. We have isolated the antimicrobial peptide Ctx-Ha from the skin secretion of the frog Hypsiboas albopunctatus. The aim of the present work was to elucidate the mechanism of action of this new antimicrobial peptide. The sequence similarity with Ceratotoxin, the pore size, and the pore-like release of carboxyfluorescein from vesicles indicated that Ctx(Ile21)-Ha has a mechanism of action based on the barrel- stave model. In a second part of this work, we synthesized three analogues to provide information about the relationship between the peptide's structure and its biological activity. Ctx(Ile21)-Ha-VD 16, Ctx(Ile21)- Ha-VD 5,16 and Ctx(Ile21)-Ha-I9K were designed to disrupt the peptide's helical structure and change the hydrophobicity/ hydrophilicity and amphipathicity of the apolar face in order to uncouple the antimicrobial activity of Ctx(Ile21)-Ha from its hemolytic activity. To evaluate the effects of the amino acid substitutions on peptide conformation, secondary structure was accessed using CD measurements. The peptides presented a high amount of α-helical structure in the presence of TFE and LPC. The CD data showed that destruction of the amphipathic α-helix by the replacing isoleucine by lysine is less harmful to the structure than D-amino acid substitutions. Biological tests demonstrated that all peptides have activity. Nevertheless, the peptide Ctx(Ile21)-Ha-I9K showed the highest value of therapeutic index. Our findings suggest that these peptides are potential templates for the development of new antimicrobial drugs. These studies highlight the importance of single amino acid modification as a tool to modulate the biological activity of antimicrobial peptides.     

Structure‐activity relationship studies of shortened analogues of the antimicrobial peptide EeCentrocin 1 from the sea urchin Echinus esculentus

EeCentrocin 1 is a potent antimicrobial peptide isolated from the marine sea urchin Echinus esculentus. The peptide has a hetero‐dimeric structure with the antimicrobial activity confined in its largest monomer, the heavy chain (HC), encompassing 30 amino acid residues. The aim of the present study was to develop a shorter drug lead peptide using the heavy chain of EeCentrocin 1 as a starting scaffold and to perform a structure‐activity relationship study with sequence modifications to optimize antimicrobial activity. The experiments consisted of 1) truncation of the heavy chain, 2) replacement of amino acids unfavourable for in vitro antimicrobial activity, and 3) an alanine scan experiment on the truncated and modified heavy chain sequence to identify essential residues for antimicrobial activity. The heavy chain of EeCentrocin 1 was truncated to less than half its initial size, retaining most of its original antimicrobial activity. The truncated and optimized lead peptide ( P6 ) consisted of the 12 N‐terminal amino acid residues from the original EeCentrocin 1 HC sequence and was modified by two amino acid replacements and a C‐terminal amidation. Results from the alanine scan indicated that the generated lead peptide ( P6 ) contained the optimal sequence for antibacterial activity, in which none of the alanine scan peptides could surpass its antimicrobial activity. The lead peptide ( P6 ) was also superior in antifungal activity compared to the other peptides prepared and showed minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the low micromolar range. In addition, the lead peptide ( P6 ) displayed minor haemolytic and no cytotoxic activity, making it a promising lead for further antimicrobial drug development.     

Activity optimization of an undecapeptide analogue derived from a frog-skin antimicrobial peptide

While natural antimicrobial peptides are potential therapeutic agents, their physicochemical properties and bioactivity generally need to be enhanced for clinical and commercial development. We have previously developed a cationic, amphipathic α-helical, 11-residue peptide (named herein GA-W2: FLGWLFKWASK-NH₂) with potent antimicrobial and hemolytic activity, which was derived from a 24-residue, natural antimicrobial peptide isolated from frog skin. Here, we attempted to optimize peptide bioactivity by a rational approach to sequence modification. Seven analogues were generated from GA-W2, and their activities were compared with that of a 12-residue peptide, omiganan, which is being developed for clinical and commercial applications. Most of the modifications reported here improved antimicrobial activity. Among them, the GA-K4AL (FAKWAFKWLKK-NH₂) peptide displayed the most potent antimicrobial activity with negligible hemolytic activity, superior to that of omiganan. The therapeutic index of GA-K4AL was improved more than 53- and more than 31-fold against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively, compared to that of the starting peptide, GA-W2. Given its relatively shorter length and simpler amino acid composition, our sequence-optimized GA-K4AL peptide may thus be a potentially useful antimicrobial peptide agent.     

Helicity of short E-R/K peptides

Understanding the secondary structure of peptides is important in protein folding, enzyme function, and peptide‐based drug design. Previous studies of synthetic Ala‐based peptides (>12 a.a.) have demonstrated the role for charged side chain interactions involving Glu/Lys or Glu/Arg spaced three (i, i + 3) or four (i, i + 4) residues apart. The secondary structure of short peptides (<9 a.a.), however, has not been investigated. In this study, the effect of repetitive Glu/Lys or Glu/Arg side chain interactions, giving rise to E‐R/K helices, on the helicity of short peptides was examined using circular dichroism. Short E‐R/K–based peptides show significant helix content. Peptides containing one or more E‐R interactions display greater helicity than those with similar E‐K interactions. Significant helicity is achieved in Arg‐based E‐R/K peptides eight, six, and five amino acids long. In these short peptides, each additional i + 3 and i + 4 salt bridge has substantial contribution to fractional helix content. The E‐R/K peptides exhibit a strongly linear melt curve indicative of noncooperative folding. The significant helicity of these short peptides with predictable dependence on number, position, and type of side chain interactions makes them an important consideration in peptide design.     

Venom peptides from solitary hunting wasps induce feeding disorder in lepidopteran larvae

The cell lytic activity and toxicity against lepidopteran larvae of 13 venom peptides (4 OdVPs and 9 EpVPs) from two solitary hunting wasps, Orancistrocerus drewseni and Eumenes pomiformis, were examined with mastoparan as a reference peptide. Of the 13 peptides, 7 were predicted to have α-helical structures that exhibit the typical character of amphipathic α-helical antimicrobial peptides. The remaining peptides exhibited coil structures; among these, EpVP5 possesses two Cys residues that form an internal disulfide bridge. All the helical peptides including mastoparan showed antimicrobial and insect cell lytic activities, whereas only two of them were hemolytic against human erythrocytes. The helical peptides induced a feeding disorder when injected into the vicinity of the head and thorax of Spodoptera exigua larvae, perhaps because their non-specific neurotoxic or myotoxic action induced cell lysis. At low concentrations, however, these helical peptides increased cell permeability without inducing cell lysis. These findings suggest that the helical venom peptides may function as non-specific neurotoxins or myotoxins and venom-spreading factors at low concentrations, as well as preservatives for long-term storage of the prey via antimicrobial, particularly antifungal, activities.     

Flexibility is a mechanical determinant of antimicrobial activity for amphipathic cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are recognized as the potential substitutions for common antibiotics. Flexibility has been demonstrated to be a dominant on antimicrobial activity of an AMP, similar to the structural parameters such as hydrophobicity and hydrophobic moment as well as positive charge. To better understand the effect of flexibility on antimicrobial activity, we herein examined seventy-eight peptides derived from nine different species. Defined as a weighted average of amino acid flexibility indices over whole residue chain of AMP, flexibility index was used to scale the peptide flexibility and indicated to be a reflection of mechanical properties such as tensile and flexural rigidities. The results demonstrated that flexibility index is relevant to but different from other structural properties, may enhance activity against Escherichia coli for stiff clustered peptides or reduce activity against E. coli for flexible clustered peptides, and its optimum occurs at about − 0.5. This effect of flexibility on antimicrobial activity may be involved to the antimicrobial actions, such as stable peptide-bound leaflet formation and sequent stress concentration in target cell membrane, mechanically. The present results provide a new insight in understanding antimicrobial actions and may be useful in seeking for a new structure–activity relationship for cationic and amphipathic α-helical peptides.     

Characterization of Antimicrobial and Antioxidative Peptides Synthesized by <Emphasis Type="Italic">L. rhamnosus</Emphasis> C6 Fermentation of Milk

Lactobacillus rhamnosus C6 was used for milk fermentation with the aim of synthesizing antimicrobial and antioxidant peptides rich preparations. The proteolysis was checked for an incubation period of 72 h to check the extent of both bioactivities in fermentate. The 36 h incubated fermentate showed higher inhibition zone diameter against E. coli ATCC 25922 as well as antioxidant activity. Ultrafiltrate was further purified by solid phase extraction and then subjected to reverse phase chromatography. Among 12 fractions collected, higher activity containing fractions were sequenced through LC–MS and characterized. Total 49 peptide sequences identified including 13 novel sequences rich in proline with helix forming ability. Higher antimicrobial activity containing fractions have potent previously reported Casicidin-17 peptides along with a series of proline rich peptides. Antioxidant rich peptides profile contains 21 peptide of smaller sequence of mainly 9–12 amino acids with lower molecular weight. This study demonstrates the capacity of L. rhamnosus C6 to release antioxidative and antimicrobial peptide by proteolysis of milk proteins through peptide profiling and characterization.     

Identification of an antimicrobial peptide from human methionine sulfoxide reductase B3

Human methionine sulfoxide reductase B3A (hMsrB3A) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) reductase that catalyzes the stereospecific reduction of methionine-R-sulfoxide to methionine in proteins. In this work, we identified an antimicrobial peptide from hMsrB3A protein. The N-terminal ER-targeting signal peptide (amino acids 1-31) conferred an antimicrobial effect in Escherichia coli cells. Sequence and structural analyses showed that the overall positively charged ER signal peptide had an Argand Pro-rich region and a potential hydrophobic α-helical segment that contains 4 cysteine residues. The potential α-helical region was essential for the antimicrobial activity within E. coli cells. A synthetic peptide, comprised of 2-26 amino acids of the signal peptide, was effective at killing Gram-negative E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella paratyphi, but had no bactericidal activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus.