title: Helical structure of dermaseptin B2 in a membrane-mimetic environment.
abstract: Dermaseptins are antimicrobial peptides from frog skin that have high membrane-lytic activity against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. The structure of dermaseptin B2 in aqueous solution, in TFE/water mixtures, and in micellar and nonmicellar SDS was analyzed by CD, FTIR, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopy combined with molecular dynamics calculations. Dermaseptin B2 is unstructured in water, but helical conformations, mostly in segment 3-18, are stabilized by addition of TFE. SDS titration showed that dermaseptin B2 assumes nonhelical structures at SDS concentrations far below the critical micellar concentration and helical structures at micellar concentrations. Dermaseptin B2 bound to SDS micelles (0.4 mM peptide, 80 mM SDS) adopts a well-defined amphipathic helix between residues 11-31 connected to a more flexible helical segment spanning residues 1-8 by a flexible hinge region around Val9 and Gly10. Experiments using paramagnetic probes showed that dermaseptin B2 lies near the surface of SDS micelles and that residue Trp3 is buried in the SDS micelle, but close to the surface. A slow exchange equilibrium occurs at higher peptide/SDS ratios (2 mM peptide, 80 mM SDS) between forms having distinct sets of resonances in the N-terminal 1-11 segment. This equilibrium could reflect different oligomeric states of dermaseptin B2 interacting with SDS micelles. Structure-activity studies on dermaseptin B2 analogues showed that the N-terminal 1-11 segment is an absolute requirement for antibacterial activity, while the C-terminal 10-33 region is also important for full antibiotic activity.
authors.affiliation: UMR 7613 CNRS, Université Paris 6, Structure et fonction de molécules bioactives, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Case Courrier 45, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lequin
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bruston
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Convert
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chassaing
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicolas
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D029845:Amphibian Proteins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000187:drug effects; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008823:Micelles; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000737:chemistry; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D029845:Amphibian Proteins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008823:Micelles; D014867:Water; C070905:dermaseptin; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene