title: A rigidity-enhanced antimicrobial activity: a case for linear cationic α-helical peptide HP(2-20) and its four analogues.
abstract: Linear cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides are referred to as one of the most likely substitutes for common antibiotics, due to their relatively simple structures (≤ 40 residues) and various antimicrobial activities against a wide range of pathogens. Of those, HP(2-20) was isolated from Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein. To reveal a mechanical determinant that may mediate the antimicrobial activities, we examined the mechanical properties and structural stabilities of HP(2-20) and its four analogues of same chain length by steered molecular dynamics simulation. The results indicated the following: the resistance of H-bonds to the tensile extension mediated the early extensive stage; with the loss of H-bonds, the tensile force was dispensed to prompt the conformational phase transition; and Young's moduli (N/m(2)) of the peptides were about 4 ∼ 8 × 10(9). These mechanical features were sensitive to the variation of the residue compositions. Furthermore, we found that the antimicrobial activity is rigidity-enhanced, that is, a harder peptide has stronger antimicrobial activity. It suggests that the molecular spring constant may be used to seek a new structure-activity relationship for different α-helical peptide groups. This exciting result was reasonably explained by a possible mechanical mechanism that regulates both the membrane pore formation and the peptide insertion.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomechanics and Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Qingsheng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C433783:Hp (2-20) protein, Helicobacter pylori; D010446:Peptide Fragments