title: Solution structures and biological functions of the antimicrobial peptide, arenicin-1, and its linear derivative.
abstract: Arenicin-1 (AR-1) is a novel antimicrobial peptide that was isolated from coelomocytes of the marine polychaeta lugworm Arenicola marina and shown to contain a single disulfide bond between Cys3 and Cys20, forming an 18-residue ring [Ovchinnikova, T. V. et al., FEBS Lett 2004, 577, 209-214]. To determine the role of this disulfide bond, we synthesized AR-1 (RWCVYAYVRVRGVLVRYRRCW) and its linear derivative, arenicin-1-S (AR-1-S: RWSVYAYVRVRGVLVRYRRSW). Activity assays revealed that AR-1-S is somewhat less active against bacterial cells than AR-1. Both peptides were very hydrophobic, and displayed cytotoxicity against human red blood cells. Analysis of the tertiary structures of AR-1 and AR-1-S by NMR spectroscopy disclosed that AR-1 has two-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet structures with amphipathicity, while AR-1-S displays a random coil structure in DMSO. Our biological data for AR-1 and AR-1-S indicate that the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance, disulfide bridge, and the amphipathic beta-sheet structure of the peptides play important roles in their biological activities. Elucidation of the structure of AR-1 and its derivative should facilitate the design of novel non-cytotoxic peptide antibiotics with potent antibacterial activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bio/Molecular Informatics Center, IBST, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ju-Un
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong-Il
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Wan Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Song Yub
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Kyung-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hahm
authors.forename: Yangmee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D010455:Peptides; C496888:arenicin-1, Arenicola marina