• BMB Reports
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.12-19
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• 1999

Gaegurin 4 (GGN4), a broad-spectrum antibiotic, is a 37-amino acid peptide isolated from the Korean frog, Rana rugosa. In this study, we have chemically synthesized and purified GGN4 analogues where the C-terminal portion is truncated and/or substituted with tryptophan. These peptides show significantly different biological activities depending on the location of tryptophan and the number of amino acids truncated from the C-terminal end. While deletion of 9 amino acids from the C-terminal seems to be marginally tolerable in maintaining the antimicrobial activity, further deletion of up to 14 amino acid residues decreases the potency by more than 60-fold towards Gram-positive, and 10-fold towards Gram-negative, bacteria. Surprisingly, the reduced activity of the shorter peptide can be completely restored by a single substitution of aspartic acid 16 to tryptophan 16 (D16W). Also, the truncation seems to decrease the specificity of antibiotic activity more towards Gram-positive than towards Gram-negative bacteria studied. These data suggest a partial role of the C-terminal region in determining the binding specificity and the activity of peptides upon binding to their target cell membranes.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.733-736
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• 1999

대장균 트립토판 중합요소 (tryptophan synthase) $\alpha$ 소단위체의 24번 잔기인 트레오닌이 메티오닌, 알라닌 또는 세린으로 치환되고 잔기 139에 트립토판이 있는 단백질를 정제하여, 여러가지 요소 농도에 대한 트립토판 형광값의 변화를 측정하여 변성곡선을 얻었다. 이들 단백질들은 모두 F139W 단백질에 비해 구조형성 성질에 큰 변화를 일으켰으며, 잔기 24번은 구조형성에 중요한 것으로 추정된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.381-390
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• 2018

We have previously derived a novel antimicrobial peptide, LPcin-YK3(YK3), based on lactophoricin and have successfully studied and reported on the relationship between its structure and function. In this study, antimicrobial peptides with improved antimicrobial activity, less cytotoxicity, and shorter length were devised and characterized on the basis of YK3, and named YK5, YK8, and YK11. The peptide design was based on a variety of knowledge, and a total of nine analog peptides consisted of one to three amino acid substitutions and C-terminal deletions. In detail, tryptophan substitution improved the membrane perturbation, lysine substitution increased the net charge, and excessive amphipathicity decreased. The analog peptides were examined for structural characteristics through spectroscopic analytical techniques, and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were used to confirm their activity and safety. We expect that these studies will provide a platform for systematic engineering of new antibiotic peptides and generate libraries of various antibiotic peptides.

• BMB Reports
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.20-24
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• 1999

The first step of the branch pathway in tryptophan biosynthesis is catalyzed by anthranilate synthase, which is subjected to feedback inhibition by the end product of the pathway. The $trpE^{FBR}$ gene from a mutant Escherichia coli strain coding for anthranilate synthase that was insensitive to feedback inhibition by tryptophan has been cloned. To identify the amino acid changes involved in the feedback regulation of anthranilate synthase, the nucleotide sequence of the mutant $trpE^{FBR}$ gene was determined. Sequence analysis of the $trpE^{FBR}$ gene revealed that four bases were changed in the structural gene while alteration was not found in the 5' control region. Among these base changes, only two base substitutions caused the alterations in amino acid sequences. From the results of restriction fragment exchange mapping, the 61st nucleotide, C to A substitution, that changed $Pro^{21}{\rightarrow}Ser$ was identified as the cause of the desensitization to feedback inhibition by tryptophan. Additional feedback-resistant enzymes of the E. coli anthranilate synthases were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis to examine the effect of the $Ser^{40}\;{\rightarrow}\;Arg^{40}$ change found in the $trpE^{FBR}$ gene of Brevibacterium lactofermentum. From the feedback inhibition analysis, the $Pro^{21}{\rightarrow}Ser$ and $Ser^{40}{\rightarrow}Arg$ mutants maintained about 50% and 90% of their maximal activities, respectively, even at the extreme concentration of 10 mM tryptophan. From these results, we suggest that the $Pro^{21}$ and $Ser^{40}$ residues are involved in the tryptophan binding in the E. coli enzyme.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.304-312
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• 1996

최근에 발표된 연구 결과에 의하면 대장균 트립토판 중합효소(tryptophan synthase) $\alpha$ 소단위체에서 33번 잔기의 세린과 112번 잔기의 아스팔산은 이 효소의 구조 형성 과정(folding)에 관여하는 것으로 보여진다. 이들 효소를 대장균내에서 과발현시켰을 때, SL33(잔기 33번의 세린이 류신으로 치환) 효소는 대부분 웅집된 덩어리형태의 효소로 생성되고, DG112(잔기 112번의 아스팔산이 글리신으로 치환) 효소와 DN112(아스랄산이 아스파라진으로 치환) 효소는 야생형 효소와 비슷한 양의 수용성형태로 생성된다고 보고된 바 있다. 본 연구에서는 이 효소의 구조 형성 과정동안 33번 잔기와 112번 잔기가 상호 작용하는 가를 조사하기 위하여 주 자리 잔기 치환 단백질을 만들어 이들의 성질을 단일 잔기 치환 단백질들과 비교하였다. 이들을 대장균내에서 젖당으로 과생산하여 전기영동으로 조사하여 본 결과 SL33 단일 잔기 치환 효소에 비해 SL33/DG112 이중 치환 효소는 현격히 보다 많은 양이 응집된 형태의 불용성 효소로 생성 되며, SL33/DN112효소는 많은 양의 효소들이 가용성 효소로 생성되었다. Densitometer로 정량한 결과 SL33/DN112 치환 소단위체는 SL33 치환 소단위체에 비해 가용성 형태의 양에 대한 응집된 형태의 양의 비가 6시간 젖당처리시 약 5배, 22시간 젖당처리시 약 13배 증가하였으며, SL33/DN112 치환 $\alpha$ 소단위체는 그 비가 1/4-1/3로 감소했다. 이러한 결과는 331번 위치에서 세린이 류신으로 치환되었을 때 나타나는 구조 형성 과정의 변화를 112번 위치에 새로 치환된 글리신 또는 아스파라진이 영향을 미쳐, 구조 형성 솨정 변화가 더욱 더 변화했거나 원상태로 어느 정도 회복되었음을 의미한다. 이 결과는 대장균 트립토판 중합효소 $\alpha$ 소단위체의 N 말단 도메인(N-terminal domain)의 구조 형성 과정시 33번 잔기와 112번 잔기가 상호작용을 하고 있음을 시사해 주고 있다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.433-439
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• 2005

To gain further insight on the relationship between structure and functions of glutathione S-transferase (GST), the three tyrosine 108 mutants, Y108A, Y108F, and Y108W, of human GST P1-1 were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by affinity chromatography on immobilized GSH. The substitution of Tyr 108 with alanine resulted in significant decrease of the GSH-conjugation activity and the GSH peroxidase activity, but approximately 63% increase of steroid isomerase activity toward ${\Delta}^5$–[androstene 3,17-dione. On the other hand, the substitution of Tyr 108 with phenylalanine resulted in decreases of $k_{cat}\;and\;k_{cat}/K_m{^{EPNP}}$ by 2 orders of magnitude, suggesting that Tyr 108 residue of hGSTP1-1 are considered to be important for the catalysis and the binding of the epoxide substrates. The substitution of Tyr 108 with tryptophan resulted in significant decreases of the specific activities toward EPNP, cumene hydroperoxide and ${\Delta}^5$–ndrostene 3,17-dione, but approximately 2-fold increase on the enzyme-catalyzed addition of GSH to DCNB. We conclude from these results that Tyr 108 in hGST P1-1 plays very different roles depending upon the nature of the electrophilic substrates.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제27권12호
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• pp.1410-1414
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• 2017

대장균 트립토판 생성효소는 ${\alpha}_2{\beta}_2$ 복합체로 구성되며, 트립토판 생합성에서 최종 2 단계의 반응에 관여한다. 두 개의 소단위체는 분자 터널로 연결되어 있어, 기질 채널링이 일어난다. 활성 부위간 상호 조절하는 정교한 조절 기작에는 ${\alpha}$-루프 L6(${\alpha}L6$), ${\alpha}L2$, ${\alpha}L3$이 관여한다. 본 연구에서는 이 자리의 잔기치환체를 써서 소단위체에 특이적으로 결합하는 리간드의 영향을 조사하여 소단위체간 상호 조절기작에 따른 구조 변화를 살펴보았다. ${\alpha}TS$의 활성부위에 결합하는 D,L-${\alpha}$-glycerophosphate(GP)는 모든 잔기치환체를 야생형 수준으로 회복시켰다. ${\beta}TS$의 기질인 L-Ser는 다양한 효과를 나타낸다. 야생형과 NS104에서는 속도가 감소한 반면, GD51과 PH53에서는 거의 영향이 없었고, PT53와 DG56은 증가하였다. 이는 반응 중간 화학종의 분포의 변화와 연관될 가능성을 제시한다. GP와 L-Ser를 동시에 처리했을 때는 특이하게도 PH53는 가장 안정한 잔기치환체였다. 이는 Pro53가 소단위체간의 조절기작에서 중요한 역할을 하는 것을 시사한다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제32권9호
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• pp.729-733
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• 2022

수용성 단백질이 비정상적인 불용성 응집(aggregate)으로 전환되면 질환 등 여러 문제를 야기된다. 대장균 트립토판 중합효소 α 소단위체(αTS)는 가장 흔한 구조의 하나인 TIM 배럴 구조를 가지고 있다. 이전의 연구에서 불용성 응집이 일어나는 여러 잔기치환체(Y4C, S33L, P28L, P28S, G44S, D46N, P96L, P96S)를 얻었다. 본 연구에서는 높은 안정성과 도메인 협동성 성질을 보여주는 Y173F가 다른 잔기자리에 치환으로 유도된 응집 형성을 억제할 수 있는 지 여부를 조사했다. 8개 모두에서 억제효과를 보여 주었다. 단백질 분리가 가능한 P28L αTS를 분석한 결과, 이차구조함량의 감소, 안정성 감소, 소수성표면 증가 등의 구조변화특성을 보여주었다. Y173F가 첨가된 P28L/Y173F αTS은 야생형과 비슷한 구조로 회복되었다. 본 연구는 소수성 코아에 위치하는 Tyr¹⁷³ 잔기처럼 응집을 유도하는 여러 다른 잔기 자리를 보편적으로 억제하는 잔기가 존재할 수 있음을 시사해 준다.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.37-40
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• 2015

To examine the photosensitized biomolecules damaging activity, dimethoxyP(V)tetrakis(2-naphthyl)porphyrin (NP) and dimethoxyP(V)tetraphenylporphyrin (PP) were synthesized. The naphthyl moiety of NP hardly deactivated the photoexcited P(V)porphyrin ring in ethanol. In aqueous solution, the naphthyl moiety showed the quenching effect on the photoexcited porphyrin ring, possibly through electron transfer and self-quenching by a molecular association. Binding interaction between human serum albumin (HSA), a water soluble protein, and these porphyrins could be confirmed by the absorption spectral change. The apparent association constant of NP was larger than that of PP. It is explained by that more hydrophobic NP can easily bind into the hydrophobic pockets of HSA. The photoexcited PP effectively induced damage of the tryptophan residue of HSA, through electron transfer-mediated oxidation and singlet oxygen generation. NP also induced HSA damage during photo-irradiation and the contributions of the electron transfer and singlet oxygen mechanisms were speculated. The electron transfer-mediated mechanism to the photosensitized protein damage should be advantageous for photodynamic therapy in hypoxic condition. The quantum yield of the HSA photodamage by PP was significantly larger than that of NP. The quenching effect of the naphthyl moiety is considered to suppress the photosensitized protein damage. In conclusion, the naphthalene substitution to the P(V)porphyrins can enhance the binding interaction with hydrophobic biomacromolecules such as protein, however, this substitution may reduce the photodynamic effect of P(V)porphyrin ring in aqueous media.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권8호
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• pp.2577-2583
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• 2011

We have designed a 20-residue hybrid peptide CA(1-8)-MA(1-12) (CAMA) incorporating residues 1-8 of cecropin A (CA) and residues 1-12 of magainin 2 (MA) with high bacterial cell selectivity. CAMA-P2 is an ${\alpha}$-helical antimicrobial peptide designed from a CAMA hybrid peptide and substitution of Gly-Ile-Gly hinge sequence of CAMA to Pro influences the flexibility at central part of CAMA. Based on structure-activity relationships of CAMA peptides, to investigate the effects of the total positive charges on antimicrobial activity of CAMA-P2, the $Ser^{14}{\rightarrow}$Lys analogue (CAMA-syn1) was synthesized. The role of tryptophan at C-terminal ${\alpha}$-helix on its antimicrobial activity as well as synergistic activity was also investigated using $Ser^{14}{\rightarrow}$Lys/$Phe^{18}{\rightarrow}$Trp analogue (CAMA-syn2). Also, we designed CAMA-syn3 by substitution of $Lys^{16}$ located opposite side of substituted $Lys^{14}$ of CAMA-syn1 with Leu residue, resulting in increase of hydrophobicity and amphipathicity of the peptide. All of CAMA-syn analogues showed good antimicrobial activities similar to those of CAMA and CAMA-P2. The CAMA-syn1 and CAMA-syn2 showed low hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity against human keratinocyte Haca-T cells while CAMA-syn3 showed hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity at its MIC value. We then investigated their abilities to act synergistically in combination with the antimicrobial flavonoids and synthetic compounds screened in our laboratory. The results showed that all peptides exhibited synergistic effects with dihydrobinetin, while only CAMA-syn2 exhibited synergistic effects with YKAs3001 against both S. aureus and MRSA, suggesting that Trp residue at C-terminus of CAMA-syn2 may facilitate the polar antibiotic flavonoids and synthetic compounds to permeabilize the membrane. This study will be useful for the development of new antibiotic peptides with potent antimicrobial and synergistic activity but without cytotoxicity.