emerimicins and isovaline

Four novel lipovelutibols A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4) containing six amino acid residues with leucinol at the C-terminus and a fatty acyl moiety (n-octanoyl) at its N-terminus were isolated from the psychrotrophic fungus Trichoderma velutinum collected from the Himalayan cold habitat. The structures (1-4) were determined by NMR and MS/MS, and the stereochemistry of amino acids by Marfey's method. Lipopeptaibols 2 and 4 were found to contain d-isovaline, a nonproteinogenic amino acid, but lacked α-aminoisobutyric acid, characteristic of peptaibols. Cytotoxic activity of 2 and 4 was observed against HL-60, LS180, MDA-MB-231, and A549 cancer cell lines.

Topics: A549 Cells; Amino Acids; Aminoisobutyric Acids; Cell Line, Tumor; Cold Temperature; Ecosystem; HL-60 Cells; Humans; Leucine; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Peptaibols; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Trichoderma; Valine

Antiamoebin I (AAM-I) and zervamicin II (Zrv-IIB) are peptaibols that exert antibiotic activity through the insertion/disruption of cell membranes. In this study, we investigated how the folding of these peptaibols are affected when some of their native residues are replaced with proline analogues and asymmetrical D-α,α-dialkyl glycines (two classes of noncanonical amino acids). Systematic substitutions of native Aib, Pro, Hyp, and Iva residues were performed to elucidate the folding properties of the modified peptaibols incorporating noncanonical residues. The secondary structure of a peptaibol influences its ability to incorporate into membranes and therefore its function. Our findings reveal that native Zrv-IIB unfolds considerably in water. The presence of Iva and the noncanonical proline analogue cis-3-amino-L-proline (ALP) in both peptaibols induces helical structures. Inserting asymmetric glycines such as α-methyl-D-leucine (MDL) and α-methyl-D-phenylalanine (MDP) into the peptaibols induces folding. This preorganization in water may help to overcome the energy barrier required for peptaibol insertion into the membrane, as well as to facilitate the formation of transmembrane channels. Graphical abstract AAM-I and Zrv-IIB peptidomimetics carrying MDL and ALP noncanonical amino acids, exhibiting improved helical secondary structure in water.

Topics: Amino Acids; Computational Biology; Hydroxyproline; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Peptaibols; Protein Structure, Secondary; Valine

The presence of nonprotein α-dialkyl-amino acids such as α-aminoisobutyric acid (α-AIB) and isovaline (Iva), which are considered to be relatively rare in the terrestrial biosphere, has long been used as an indication of the indigeneity of meteoritic amino acids. However, recent work showing the presence of α-AIB and Iva in peptides produced by a widespread group of filamentous fungi indicates the possibility of a terrestrial biotic source for the α-AIB observed in some meteorites. We measured the amino acid distribution and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of four α-AIB-containing fungal peptides and compared this data to similar meteoritic measurements. We show that the relatively simple distribution of the C(4) and C(5) amino acids in fungal peptides is distinct from the complex distribution observed in many carbonaceous chondrites. We also identify potentially diagnostic relationships between the stable isotopic compositions of pairs of amino acids from the fungal peptides that may aid in ruling out fungal contamination as a source of meteoritic amino acids.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Amino Acids; Aminoisobutyric Acids; Extraterrestrial Environment; Fungi; Isotopes; Meteoroids; Molecular Sequence Data; Peptaibols; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Valine

Fourty-nine species and strains of filamentous fungi of the genera Acremonium, Bionectria, Clonostachys, Emericellopsis, Hypocrea/Trichoderma, Lecythophora, Monocillium, Nectriopsis, Niesslia, Tolypocladium, and Wardomyces, deposited with the culture collection of the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS) in Utrecht, The Netherlands, were grown on nutrient agar plates. Organic extracts of mycelia were analyzed after acidic total hydrolysis and derivatization by GC/SIM-MS on Chirasil-L-Val for the presence of Aib (=alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, 2-methylalanine) and DL-Iva (=isovaline, 2-ethylalanine). In 37 of the hydrolysates, Aib was detected, and in several of them D-Iva or mixtures of D- and L-Iva. Non-proteinogenic Aib, in particular, is a highly specific marker for a distinctive group of fungal polypeptides named peptaibols or, comprehensively, peptaibiotics, i.e., peptides containing Aib and displaying (anti)biotic activities. The biotic synthesis of these amino acids by filamentous fungi contradicts the still widespread belief that alpha,alpha-dialkyl-alpha-amino acids do not or rarely occur in the biosphere and, if detected, are of extraterrestrial origin. The abundant production of peptaibiotics by cosmopolitan species of microfungi has also to be considered in the discussion on the occurrence of Aib and Iva in ancient and recent sediments. The detection of trace amounts of Aib in ice samples of Antarctica that are devoid of meteorites might also be related to the presence of Aib-producing microorganisms, being either indigenous psychrophiles, or being transported and localized by mechanisms related to bioaerosols and cryoconites. The presence of microfungi being capable of producing alpha,alpha-dialkyl alpha-amino acids in terrestrial samples, and possible contamination of extraterrestrial materials are pointed out to be of relevance for the reliable interpretation of cosmogeochemical data.

Topics: Aminoisobutyric Acids; Extraterrestrial Environment; Fungi; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Geography; Peptaibols; Valine

Representative members of a group of linear, N-acylated polypeptide antibiotics (peptaibols) containing alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) and, in part, isovaline (Iva), as well as proteinogenic amino acids and a C-terminal-bonded 2-amino alcohol, were treated with anhydrous trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) at 37 degrees for 0.5-26 h. The resulting fragments were separated by HPLC and characterized by electrospray ionization collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry (ESI-CID-MS). The following 16-20-residue peptaibols were investigated: natural, microheterogeneous mixtures of antiamoebins and alamethicin F50, uniform paracelsin A, and synthetic trichotoxin A50/E. In the natural peptides, bonds formed between Aib (Iva) and Pro (Hyp) were rapidly and selectively cleaved within 0.5 h. Furthermore, TFA esters of the C-terminal amino alcohols were formed. Depending on time, release of C-terminal tri- and tetrapeptides as well as amino acids from the major fragments was observed. Synthetic homooligopeptides, namely Z- and Ac-(Aib)(10)-O(t)Bu and Z-(Aib)(7)-O(t)Bu, were analyzed for comparison. On treatment with TFA, a regular series of Z-(Aib)(10-5)-OH from Z-(Aib)(10)-O(t)Bu were detected within 0.5 h, and, after 3 h, release of a regular series of Z-(Aib)(7-3)-OH from Z-(Aib)(7)-O(t)Bu were observed. Moreover, concomitant release of the series of H-(Aib)(10-3)-OH from the decapeptide occurred. From these data, a repetitive cleavage mechanism via intermediate formation of C-terminal oxazolones on trifluoroacetolysis is proposed. Furthermore, their formation and stability in native peptaibols are correlated with subtle structural differences in protein amino acids linked to Aib. From the conspicuous concordance of the formation and abundance of regular series of trifluoroacetolytic fragments and of positive ions of the b-series in CID-MS, the generation of intermediate oxazolonium ions in both gas and liquid phase is concluded.

Topics: Aminoisobutyric Acids; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Fluoroacetates; Oligopeptides; Oxazolone; Peptaibols; Peptide Fragments; Peptides; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Time Factors; Trifluoroacetic Acid; Valine

The syntheses and the crystal structures of the C-terminal tetrapeptide fragments of emerimicin IV and III, Boc-R-EtA-Hyp(Bzl)-Ala-Phol and Boc-R-EtA-Hyp(Bzl)-MeA-Phol, containing the chiral alpha,alpha-dialkyl amino acid, R-alpha-ethylalanine (R-EtA) are reported. The two peptides are isomorphous and assume a 3(10)-helical conformation in the crystal. A comparison of the crystal data on alpha,alpha-dialkyl amino acids indicates that alkyl substituents larger than a methyl group do not preclude peptides containing these amino acids from assuming the conformations associated with minima which have been well characterized for alpha-methylalanine.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Indicators and Reagents; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mass Spectrometry; Models, Molecular; Oligopeptides; Peptaibols; Peptide Fragments; Peptides; Protein Conformation; Structure-Activity Relationship; Valine