The sequences of the eleven-residue peptaibiotics: suzukacillins-B

Abstract

The filamentous fungus designated 'Trichoderma viride' strain 63 C-1 simultaneously produces suzukacillins (SZs), two microheterogeneous groups of peptaibols, under submerged culture conditions. Both groups are readily distinguishable by TLC: the major group is designated SZ-A, whereas the minor group with a higher Rf value is named SZ-B. The peptide mixture was obtained from a MeOH extract of the mycelium. SZ-B was separated from SZ-A by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Although it provided one single spot on silica-gel TLC plates, 15 individual peptides could be separated by C8 reversed-phase (RP) HPLC, and their sequences were determined by HPLC/QqTOF-ESI-HRMS. Fourteen peptides exhibit the C-terminal sequence Pro(6) -Lxx-Lxx-Aib-Pro-Vxxol/Lxxol(11) , which is common for eleven-residue peptaibols. The remaining peptide is tentatively assigned as a ten-residue sequence, in which the C-terminal 1,2-amino alcohol is deleted, thus terminating in free proline. Nine of the peptides carry an Ac-Aib residue at the N-terminus, very frequently found in eleven-residue peptaibols. Four peptides comprise the rare Ac-Ala N-terminus, and for two peptides, N-terminal Ac-D-Iva residues were identified. One peptide contains a C-terminal residue of yet undetermined structure. Comparison with previously reported eleven-residue peptaibol sequences reveals that eight of the peptides represent new sequence analogs.