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Bea RDLS, Frawley E, Shen Q, Moyo S, Thelven JM, North L. Synthesized peptide analogs from Eumenes pomiformis (Hymenoptera: Eumenidae) venom reveals their antibiotic and pesticide activity potential. Toxicon 2023; 224:107032. [PMID: 36690087 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
One natural antimicrobial peptide (EpVP2a, Eumenes pomiformis Venom Peptide 2a) found in the venom of a potter wasp (Eumenes pomiformis) and six analogs were synthesized and tested to compare their antimicrobial, antifungal, pesticide, and hemolytic activity with the wild type. Our results indicated that while the original peptide and the synthetic analogs had no antifungal activity or anti-bacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the original peptide and the analog with substitution of the aspartic acid on the sequence by a lysine (EpVP2a-D2K2) had activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. This same analog also shows significant insecticide activity. The analog with substitution of lysine with a slightly smaller ornithine had activity against E. coli and B. subtilis. All analogs show low hemolytic activity compared to the natural peptide. The peptide with a reverse sequence to the natural one (EpVp2a Retro) shows low helix structure which can also explain why it has no antibacterial activity and low hemolytic activity. Circular dichroism spectra show that these peptides form an alpha helix structure and their amino acid positions predict an amphipathic nature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elaine Frawley
- Department of Biology, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
| | - Qian Shen
- Department of Biology, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
| | - Sydney Moyo
- Department of Biology and Program in Environmental Studies and Sciences, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
| | - Jeremy M Thelven
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University. Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Lily North
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Arizona. Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
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de la Salud Bea R, North LJ, Horiuchi S, Frawley ER, Shen Q. Antimicrobial Activity and Toxicity of Analogs of Wasp Venom EMP Peptides. Potential Influence of Oxidized Methionine. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10101208. [PMID: 34680789 PMCID: PMC8532962 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10101208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The antibiotic and toxic properties for four synthetic analogs of eumenine mastoparan peptides (EMP) have been tested. These properties were compared to two natural peptides found in the venom of solitary wasps Anterhynchium flavomarginatum micado (natural peptide EMP-AF) and Eumenes rubrofemoratus (natural peptide EMP-ER), respectively. Only EMP-AF-OR showed concentration-dependent growth inhibition against all bacterial species tested. Gram positive species had MIC values of 10 μg/mL for B. subtilis and 25 μg/mL for S. aureus. Gram negative species had MIC values of 25 μg/mL for E. coli and 200 μg/mL for P. aeruginosa. Of the other tested peptides, EMP-ER-D2K2 also showed activity and inhibited growth of Bacillus subtilis in a concentration-dependent manner at 200 μg/mL. Peptide EMP-ER-OR reduced the final density of Escherichia coli and B. subtilis cultures but did not impact their growth kinetics. Peptides EMP-AF-OR, EMP-ER-OR, and EMP-ER-D2K2 showed limited antifungal activity against Candida albicans or Histoplasma capsulatum. The hemolytic activity of the analogs were moderated though reports of the natural peptides, especially EMP-AF-OR, already showed low toxicity against erythrocytes. These results are discussed in the context of the potential influence of oxidized methionine on EMP activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto de la Salud Bea
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-901-843-3649
| | - Lily J. North
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
| | - Sakura Horiuchi
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, 2300 I St., NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA;
| | - Elaine R. Frawley
- Department of Biology, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, USA; (E.R.F.); (Q.S.)
| | - Qian Shen
- Department of Biology, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, USA; (E.R.F.); (Q.S.)
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de la Salud Bea R, Ascuitto MR, de Johnson LEL. Synthesis of analogs of peptides from Buthus martensii scorpion venom with potential antibiotic activity. Peptides 2015; 68:228-32. [PMID: 25451872 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Revised: 10/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Five analogs of a natural peptide (BmKn1) found in the venom of scorpion Buthus martensii Karsh have been synthesized and tested to compare their antimicrobial and hemolytic activity with the wild type. Circular dichroism spectra show that these peptides form an alpha helix structure and its amino acid positions predict an amphipathic nature. Results show that increasing hydrophobicity by substituting successively positions 5 and 9 of the sequence (on the hydrophobic side of the helix) with alanine, valine and leucine enhances antimicrobial activity and hemolysis. When changes are done on positions 7 and 10 (on the hydrophilic side) by introducing more positive charges with addition of lysine, both activities also increase. However, when negative charges are introduced instead (with glutamic acids), antimicrobial activity is observed but hemolysis is reduced to zero under the concentrations studied. Although strong inhibitory activity begins at low concentrations (10μg/mL), some peptides level off inhibition and no change is observed as concentrations are increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto de la Salud Bea
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, United States.
| | - Michael Ross Ascuitto
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, United States
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Bea RDLS, Petraglia AF, Johnson LELD. Synthesis, antimicrobial activity and toxicity of analogs of the scorpion venom BmKn peptides. Toxicon 2015; 101:79-84. [PMID: 25982541 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Two analogs of the natural peptide BmKn1 and four of BmKn2 found in the venom of the scorpion Buthus martensii Karsh have been synthesized and tested to compare their antimicrobial and hemolytic activity with the natural ones. Modifications of the natural sequence were done on the hydrophobic side of the alpha helix by increasing the size and hydrophobicity of the residues with alanine (BmKn2A1), valine (BmKn2V1) and leucine (BmKn2L1) respectively, and on the hydrophilic side by increasing the charge from +2 to +3 with two lysines (BmKn2K7). In order to study observed peptide aggregation, two peptides with one (BmKn1-6Lys) and two (BmKn1L2K2) positive charges respectively in the hydrophobic side have been also designed. Results show that the valine substituted analog BmKn2V1 and lysine substituted analog BmKn2K7 have in general, the highest antibiotic and hemolytic activity of the group. Introduction of one positive charge on the hydrophobic side shows a significant increase in antibacterial activity compared with the original sequence except for Bacillus and Enterobacter where, unexpectedly, the activity flats-off. In contrast, the analog with two positive charges has minimal antibacterial or hemolytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Fine Petraglia
- Department of Chemistry, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis TN 38112, USA
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Brender JR, Hartman K, Nanga RPR, Popovych N, de la Salud Bea R, Vivekanandan S, Marsh ENG, Ramamoorthy A. Role of zinc in human islet amyloid polypeptide aggregation. J Am Chem Soc 2010; 132:8973-83. [PMID: 20536124 PMCID: PMC2904811 DOI: 10.1021/ja1007867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (hIAPP) is a highly amyloidogenic protein found in islet cells of patients with type II diabetes. Because hIAPP is highly toxic to beta-cells under certain conditions, it has been proposed that hIAPP is linked to the loss of beta-cells and insulin secretion in type II diabetics. One of the interesting questions surrounding this peptide is how the toxic and aggregation prone hIAPP peptide can be maintained in a safe state at the high concentrations that are found in the secretory granule where it is stored. We show here zinc, which is found at millimolar concentrations in the secretory granule, significantly inhibits hIAPP amyloid fibrillogenesis at concentrations similar to those found in the extracellular environment. Zinc has a dual effect on hIAPP fibrillogenesis: it increases the lag-time for fiber formation and decreases the rate of addition of hIAPP to existing fibers at lower concentrations, while having the opposite effect at higher concentrations. Experiments at an acidic pH which partially neutralizes the change in charge upon zinc binding show inhibition is largely due to an electrostatic effect at His18. High-resolution structures of hIAPP determined from NMR experiments confirm zinc binding to His18 and indicate zinc induces localized disruption of the secondary structure of IAPP in the vicinity of His18 of a putative helical intermediate of IAPP. The inhibition of the formation of aggregated and toxic forms of hIAPP by zinc provides a possible mechanism between the recent discovery of linkage between deleterious mutations in the SLC30A8 zinc transporter, which transports zinc into the secretory granule, and type II diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R. Brender
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | - Kevin Hartman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | | | - Natalya Popovych
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | - Roberto de la Salud Bea
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | - Subramanian Vivekanandan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | - E. Neil G. Marsh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | - Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
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Gottler LM, de la Salud Bea R, Shelburne CE, Ramamoorthy A, Marsh ENG. Using Fluorous Amino Acids To Probe the Effects of Changing Hydrophobicity on the Physical and Biological Properties of the β-Hairpin Antimicrobial Peptide Protegrin-1†. Biochemistry 2008; 47:9243-50. [DOI: 10.1021/bi801045n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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