Tridecaptin A 1 (TriA 1 ) is a nonribosomal lipopeptide with selective antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Here we show that TriA 1 exerts its bactericidal effect by binding to the bacterial cellwall precursor lipid II on the inner membrane, disrupting the proton motive force. Biochemical and biophysical assays show that binding to the Gram-negative variant of lipid II is required for membrane disruption and that only the proton gradient is dispersed. The NMR solution structure of TriA 1 in dodecylphosphocholine micelles with lipid II has been determined, and molecular modeling was used to provide a structural model of the TriA 1 -lipid II complex. These results suggest that TriA 1 kills Gram-negative bacteria by a mechanism of action using a lipid-II-binding motif.antibiotic | peptide | lipid II | peptidoglycan | membrane pore

Bacteria use various strategies to compete in an ecological niche, including the production of bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antibacterial peptides, and it has been postulated that the majority of Gram-positive bacteria produce one or more of these natural products. Bacteriocins can be used in food preservation and are also considered as potential alternatives to antibiotics. The majority of bacteriocins from Gram-positive bacteria had been traditionally divided into two major classes, namely lantibiotics, which are post-translationally modified bacteriocins, and unmodified bacteriocins. The last decade has seen an expanding number of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) in Gram-positive bacteria that have antibacterial activity. These include linear azol(in)e-containing peptides, thiopeptides, bottromycins, glycocins, lasso peptides and lipolanthines. In addition, the three-dimensional (3D) structures of a number of modified and unmodified bacteriocins have been elucidated in recent years. This review gives an overview on the structural variety of bacteriocins from Gram-positive bacteria. It will focus on the chemical and 3D structures of these peptides, and their interactions with receptors and membranes, structure-function relationships and possible modes of action.

Lanthipeptides represent a large class of cyclic natural products defined by the presence of lanthionine (Lan) and methyllanthionine (MeLan) cross-links. With the advances in DNA sequencing technologies and genome mining tools, new biosynthetic enzymes capable of installing unusual structural features are continuously being discovered. In this study, we investigated an O-methyltransferase that is a member of the most prominent auxiliary enzyme family associated with class I lanthipeptide biosynthetic gene clusters. Despite the prevalence of these enzymes, their function has not been established. Herein, we demonstrate that the Omethyltransferase OlvS A encoded in the olv gene cluster from Streptomyces olivaceus NRRL B-3009 catalyzes the rearrangement of a highly conserved aspartate residue to a β-amino acid, isoaspartate, in the lanthipeptide OlvA(BCS A ). We elucidated the NMR solution structure of the GluC-digested peptide, OlvA(BCS A ) GluC , which revealed a unique ring topology comprising four interlocking rings and positions the isoaspartate residue in a solvent exposed loop that is stabilized by a MeLan ring. Gas chromatography−mass spectrometry analysis further indicated that OlvA(BCS A ) contains two DL-MeLan rings and two Lan rings with an unusual LL-stereochemistry. Lastly, in vitro reconstitution of OlvS A activity showed that it is a leader peptideindependent and S-adenosyl methionine-dependent O-methyltransferase that mediates the conversion of a highly conserved aspartate residue in a cyclic substrate into a succinimide, which is hydrolyzed to generate an Asp or isoAsp containing peptide. This overall transformation converts an α-amino acid into a β-amino acid in a ribosomally synthesized peptide, via an electrophilic intermediate that may be the intended product.

Acidocin B, a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus M46, was originally reported to be a linear peptide composed of 59 amino acid residues. However, its high sequence similarity to gassericin A, a circular bacteriocin from Lactobacillus gasseri LA39, suggested that acidocin B might be circular as well. Acidocin B was purified from culture supernatant by a series of hydrophobic interaction chromatographic steps. Its circular nature was ascertained by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionizationtime of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) sequencing. The peptide sequence was found to consist of 58 amino acids with a molecular mass of 5,621.5 Da. The sequence of the acidocin B biosynthetic gene cluster was also determined and showed high nucleotide sequence similarity to that of gassericin A. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) solution structure of acidocin B in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles was elucidated, revealing that it is composed of four ␣-helices of similar length that are folded to form a compact, globular bundle with a central pore. This is a three-dimensional structure for a member of subgroup II circular bacteriocins, which are classified based on their isoelectric points of ϳ7 or lower.Comparison of acidocin B with carnocyclin A, a subgroup I circular bacteriocin with four ␣-helices and a pI of 10, revealed differences in the overall folding. The observed variations could be attributed to inherent diversity in their physical properties, which also required the use of different solvent systems for three-dimensional structural elucidation. C ircular bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides that are ribosomally synthesized by bacteria and are posttranslationally modified to release a leader peptide and form a peptide bond between the N and C termini. These peptides exhibit antimicrobial activity against a broad range of Gram-positive bacteria, including Listeria spp. and Clostridium spp., which are common pathogens causing food-borne diseases (1). In addition, the circular nature of these bacteriocins imparts enhanced stability against proteolytic degradation and denaturation due to extreme temperature and pH conditions relative to linear forms (2). They thus serve as promising alternatives to traditional antimicrobial agents for food, medical, and industrial applications (3).A number of circular bacteriocins that are composed of 58 to 70 amino acid residues have been identified to date, including enterocin AS-48 (4), gassericin A (5), circularin A (6), butyrivibriocin AR10 (7), uberolysin (8), carnocyclin A (9), lactocyclicin Q (10), garvicin ML (11), leucocyclicin Q (12), amylocyclicin (13), and aureocyclicin 4185 (14). Another peptide exhibiting Nto C-terminal cyclization is subtilosin A (15). It is, however, considered a member of the sactipeptides, which represent a class of peptides containing cross-links between cysteine sulfurs and ␣-carbons (16). The structure and genetics of circular bacteriocins were reviewed previously (2). More recently, a re...