Thuricin Z: A Narrow-Spectrum Sactibiotic that Targets the Cell Membrane

Abstract

Sactionine-containing antibiotics (sactibiotics) are a growing class of peptide antibiotics belonging to the ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) superfamily. We report the characterization of thuricin Z, a novel sactibiotic from Bacillus thuringiensis. Unusually, the biosynthesis of thuricin Z involves two radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzymes, ThzC and ThzD. Although ThzC and ThzD are highly divergent from each other, these two enzymes produced the same sactionine ring in the precursor peptide ThzA in vitro. Thuricin Z exhibits narrow-spectrum antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus. A series of analyses, including confocal laser scanning microscopy, ultrathin-sectioning transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and large-unilamellar-vesicle-based fluorescence analysis, suggested that thuricin Z binds to the bacterial cell membrane and leads to membrane permeabilization.

Keywords: RiPPs; antimicrobial peptides; biosynthesis; radical SAM enzymes; sactipeptides.