X-ray Crystal Structures of Short Antimicrobial Peptides as Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lectin B Complexes

ACS Chem Biol. 2019 Apr 19;14(4):758-766. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00047. Epub 2019 Mar 11.

Abstract

Herein, we report X-ray crystal structures of 11-13 residue antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa as complexes of fucosylated d-enantiomeric sequences with the P. aeruginosa lectin LecB. These represent the first crystal structures of short AMPs. In 24 individual structures of eight different peptides, we found mostly α-helices assembled as two-helix or four-helix bundles with a hydrophobic core and cationic residues pointing outside. Two of the analogs formed an extended structure engaging in multiple contacts with the lectin. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that α-helices are stabilized by bundle formation and suggested that the N-terminal acyl group present in the linker to the fucosyl group can extend the helix by one additional H-bond and increase α-helix amphiphilicity. Investigating N-terminal acylation led to AMPs with equivalent and partly stronger antibacterial effects compared to the free peptide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemistry*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Lectins / chemistry
  • Lectins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Protein Binding
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Lectins