Non-proteinogenic amino acids in lacticin 481 analogues result in more potent inhibition of peptidoglycan transglycosylation.

Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide natural products that contain the thioether structures lanthionine and methyllanthionine and exert potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. At present, detailed modes-of-action are only known for a small subset of family members. Lacticin 481, a tricyclic lantibiotic, contains a lipid II binding motif present in related compounds such as mersacidin and nukacin ISK-1. Here, we show that lacticin 481 inhibits PBP1b-catalyzed peptidoglycan formation. Furthermore, we show that changes in potency of analogues of lacticin 481 containing non-proteinogenic amino acids correlate positively with the potency of inhibition of the transglycosylase activity of PBP1b. Thus, lipid II is the likely target of lacticin 481, and use of non-proteinogenic amino acids resulted in stronger inhibition of the target. Additionally, we demonstrate that lacticin 481 does not form pores in the membranes of susceptible bacteria, a common mode-of-action of other lantibiotics.

Citation

Patrick J Knerr, Trent J Oman, Chantal V Garcia De Gonzalo, Tania J Lupoli, Suzanne Walker, Wilfred A van der Donk. Non-proteinogenic amino acids in lacticin 481 analogues result in more potent inhibition of peptidoglycan transglycosylation. ACS chemical biology. 2012 Nov 16;7(11):1791-5

Mesh Tags

Substances

PMID: 22920239

search → result