New Trichobrachins, 11-residue peptaibols from a marine strain of Trichoderma longibrachiatum

Peptides. 2007 Jul;28(7):1351-8. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2007.05.012. Epub 2007 Jun 6.

Abstract

A marine strain of Trichoderma longibrachiatum isolated from blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) was investigated for short peptaibol production. Various 11-residue peptaibols, obtained as microheterogenous mixtures after a chromatographic fractionation, were identified by positive mass spectrometry fragmentation (ESI-IT-MS(n), CID-MS(n) and GC/EI-MS). Thirty sequences were identified, which is the largest number of analogous sequences so far observed at once. Twenty-one sequences were new, and nine others corresponded to peptaibols already described. These peptaibols belonged to the same peptidic family based on the model Ac-Aib-xxx-xxx-xxx-Aib-Pro-xxx-xxx-Aib-Pro-xxol. They were named trichobrachin A when the residue in position 2 was an Asn, and trichobrachin C when it was a Gln. Major chromatographic sub-fractions, corresponding to purified peptaibols, were assayed for their cytotoxic activity. Trichobrachin A-IX and trichobrachin C exhibited the highest activities. There was an exponential relation between their relative hydrophobicity and their cytotoxicity on KB cells.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • KB Cells
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / isolation & purification
  • Peptides / toxicity
  • Trichoderma / chemistry*

Substances

  • Peptides