The Triceptide Maturase OscB Catalyzes Uniform Cyclophane Topology and Accepts Diverse Gly-Rich Precursor Peptides.

Triceptides are a class of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides defined by an aromatic C(sp2) to Cß(sp3) bond. The Gly-rich repeat family of triceptide maturases (TIGR04261) are paired with precursor peptides (TIGR04260) containing a Gly-rich core peptide. These maturases are prevalent in cyanobacteria and catalyze cyclophane formation on multiple Ω1-X2-X3 motifs (Ω1 = Trp and Phe) of the Gly-rich precursor peptide. The topology of the individual rings has not been completely elucidated, and the promiscuity of these enzymes is not known. In this study, we characterized all the cyclophane rings formed by the triceptide maturase OscB and show the ring topology is uniform with respect to the substitution at Trp-C7 and the atropisomerism (planar chirality). Additionally, the enzyme OscB demonstrated substrate promiscuity on Gly-rich precursors and can accommodate a diverse array of engineered sequences. These findings highlight the versatility and implications for using OscB as a biocatalyst for producing polycyclophane-containing peptides for biotechnological applications.

Substrate Promiscuity of the Triceptide Maturase XncB Leads to Incorporation of Various Amino Acids and Detection of Oxygenated Products.

Triceptides are cyclophane-containing ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides. The characteristic cross-links are formed between an aromatic ring to Cß on three-residue Ω1X2X3 motifs (Ω1 = aromatic). Here, we explored the promiscuity of the XYE family triceptide maturase, XncB from Xenorhabdus nematophila DSM 3370. Single amino acid variants were coexpressed with XncB in vivo in Escherichia coli, and we show that a variety of amino acids can be incorporated into the Phe-Gly-Asn cyclophane. Aromatic amino acids at the X3 position were accepted by the enzyme but yielded hydroxylated, rather than the typical cyclophane, products. These studies show that oxygen can be inserted but diverges in the final product formed relative to daropeptide maturases. Finally, truncations of the leader peptide showed that it is necessary for complete modification by XncB.

Functional and Promiscuity Studies of Three-Residue Cyclophane Forming Enzymes Show Nonnative C-C Cross-Linked Products and Leader-Dependent Cyclization.

Enzymes catalyzing peptide macrocyclization are important biochemical tools in drug discovery. The three-residue cyclophane-forming enzymes (3-CyFEs) are an emerging family of post-translational modifying enzymes that catalyze the formation of three-residue peptide cyclophanes. In this report, we introduce three additional 3-CyFEs, including ChlB, WnsB, and FnnB, that catalyze cyclophane formation on Tyr, Trp, and Phe, respectively. To understand the promiscuity of these enzymes and those previously reported (MscB, HaaB, and YxdB), we tested single amino acid substitutions at the three-residue motif of modification (Ω1X2X3, Ω1 = aromatic). Collectively, we observe that substrate promiscuity is observed at the Ω1 and X2 positions, but a greater specificity is observed for the X3 residue. Two nonnative cyclophane products were characterized showing a Phe-C3 to Arg-Cß and His-C2 to Pro-Cß cross-links, respectively. We also tested the leader dependence of selected 3-CyFEs and show that a predicted helix region is important for cyclophane formation. These results demonstrate the biocatalytic potential of these maturases and allow rational design of substrates to obtain a diverse array of genetically encoded 3-residue cyclophanes.

Structural and Biochemical Insights into Post-Translational Arginine-to-Ornithine Peptide Modifications by an Atypical Arginase.

Landornamide A is a ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural product with antiviral activity. Its biosynthetic gene cluster encodes─among other maturases─the peptide arginase OspR, which converts arginine to ornithine units in an unusual post-translational modification. Peptide arginases are a recently discovered RiPP maturase family with few characterized representatives. They show little sequence similarity to conventional arginases, a well-characterized enzyme family catalyzing the hydrolysis of free arginine to ornithine and urea. Peptide arginases are highly promiscuous and accept a variety of substrate sequences. The molecular basis for binding the large peptide substrate and for the high promiscuity of peptide arginases remains unclear. Here, we report the first crystal structure of a peptide arginase at a resolution of 2.6 Å. The three-dimensional structure reveals common features and differences between conventional arginases and the peptide arginase: the binuclear metal cluster and the active-site environment strongly resemble each other, while the quaternary structures diverge. Kinetic analyses of OspR with various substrates provide new insights into the order of biosynthetic reactions during the post-translational maturation of landornamide A. These results provide the basis for pathway engineering to generate derivatives of landornamide A and for the general application of peptide arginases as biosynthetic tools for peptide engineering.

A Prevalent Group of Actinobacterial Radical SAM/SPASM Maturases Involved in Triceptide Biosynthesis.

Triceptides are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides characterized by three-residue cyclophanes. The cyclophanes are installed by radical SAM/SPASM maturases referred to as 3-residue cyclophane forming enzymes (3-CyFEs) which catalyze C(sp2)-Cß(sp3) bond formation on three residue motifs at the C-terminus of precursor peptides. Here, we bioinformatically map uncharacterized rSAM/SPASM enzymes, referred to as Actinobacterial multiple cyclophane maturases. The enzyme FwwB from Actinospira robinae was selected for in vivo functional studies in Escherichia coli, and was found to catalyze formation of multiple Phe- and Trp-derived 3-residue cyclophanes. FwwB was shown to accept a series of engineered substrates but showed specificity for the native 3-residue motif.

The Biosynthetic Landscape of Triceptides Reveals Radical SAM Enzymes That Catalyze Cyclophane Formation on Tyr- and His-Containing Motifs.

Peptide-derived cyclophanes inhabit a unique niche in the chemical space of macrocyclic peptides with several examples of pharmaceutical importance. Although both synthetic and biocatalytic methods are available for constructing these macrocycles, versatile (bio)catalysts able to incorporate a variety of amino acids that compose the macrocycle would be useful for the creation of diverse peptide cyclophanes. In this report, we synergized the use of bioinformatic tools to map the biosynthetic landscape of radical SAM enzymes (3-CyFEs) that catalyze three-residue cyclophane formation in the biosynthesis of a new family of RiPP natural products, the triceptides. This analysis revealed 3940 (3113 unique) putative precursor sequences predicted to be modified by 3-CyFEs. Several uncharacterized maturase systems were identified that encode unique precursor types. Functional studies were carried out in vivo in Escherichia coli to identify modified precursors containing His and Tyr residues. NMR analysis of the products revealed that Tyr and His can also be incorporated into cyclophane macrocycles by 3-CyFEs. Collectively, all aromatic amino acids can be incorporated by 3-CyFEs, and the cyclophane formation strictly occurs via a C(sp2)-C(sp3) cross-link between the (hetero)aromatic ring to Cß. In addition to 3-CyFEs, we functionally validated an Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate-dependent hydroxylase, resulting in ß-hydroxylated residues within the cyclophane rings. This study reveals the potential breadth of triceptide precursors and a systematic approach for studying these enzymes to broaden the diversity of peptide macrocycles.

Posttranslationally Acting Arginases Provide a Ribosomal Route to Non-proteinogenic Ornithine Residues in Diverse Peptide Sequences.

Ornithine is a component of many bioactive nonribosomal peptides but is challenging to incorporate into ribosomal products. We recently identified OspR, a cyanobacterial arginase-like enzyme that installs ornithines in the antiviral ribosomally synthesised and posttranslationally modified peptide (RiPP) landornamide A. Here we report that OspR belongs to a larger family of peptide arginases from diverse organisms and RiPP types. In E. coli, seven selected enzymes converted arginine into ornithine with little preference for the leader type. A broad range of peptide sequences was modified, including polyarginine repeats. We also generated analogues of ornithine-containing nonribosomal peptides using RiPP technology. Five pseudo-nonribosomal products with ornithines at the correct positions were obtained, including a brevicidine analogue containing ornithine and a d-amino acid installed by the peptide epimerase OspD. These results suggest new opportunities for peptide bioengineering.

Landornamides: Antiviral Ornithine-Containing Ribosomal Peptides Discovered through Genome Mining.

Proteusins are a family of bacterial ribosomal peptides that largely remain hypothetical genome-predicted metabolites. The only known members are the polytheonamide-type cytotoxins, which have complex structures due to numerous unusual posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Cyanobacteria contain large numbers of putative proteusin loci. To investigate their chemical and pharmacological potential beyond polytheonamide-type compounds, we characterized landornamide A, the product of the silent osp gene cluster from Kamptonema sp. PCC 6506. Pathway reconstruction in E. coli revealed a peptide combining lanthionines, d-residues, and, unusually, two ornithines introduced by the arginase-like enzyme OspR. Landornamide A inhibited lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection in mouse cells, thus making it one of the few known anti-arenaviral compounds. These data support proteusins as a rich resource of chemical scaffolds, new maturation enzymes, and bioactivities.

Radical S-Adenosylmethionine Peptide Epimerases: Detection of Activity and Characterization of d-Amino Acid Products.

The identification of the polytheonamide (poy) gene cluster led to the discovery of the enzyme PoyD, a member of the radical S-adenosylmethionine superfamily capable of introducing d-amino acids into a ribosomally synthesized peptide. This enzyme was used as a starting point to identify additional radical S-adenosylmethionine peptide epimerases in other cyanobacterial genomes, which show different epimerization patterns compared to PoyD. During the course of studying these enzymes by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli, we developed a two-step strategy to (1) detect epimerase activity and (2) localize where epimerization occurs based on an in vivo deuterium labeling strategy. The procedures for these two methods are described in the following chapter and will set the stage for further study of these enzymes.

Natural noncanonical protein splicing yields products with diverse ß-amino acid residues.

Current textbook knowledge holds that the structural scope of ribosomal biosynthesis is based exclusively on α-amino acid backbone topology. Here we report the genome-guided discovery of bacterial pathways that posttranslationally create ß-amino acid-containing products. The transformation is widespread in bacteria and is catalyzed by an enzyme belonging to a previously uncharacterized radical S-adenosylmethionine family. We show that the ß-amino acids result from an unusual protein splicing process involving backbone carbon-carbon bond cleavage and net excision of tyramine. The reaction can be used to incorporate diverse and multiple ß-amino acids into genetically encoded precursors in Escherichia coli In addition to enlarging the set of basic amino acid components, the excision generates keto functions that are useful as orthogonal reaction sites for chemical diversification.

An Orthogonal D2 O-Based Induction System that Provides Insights into d-Amino Acid Pattern Formation by Radical S-Adenosylmethionine Peptide Epimerases.

Radical S-adenosyl methionine peptide epimerases (RSPEs) are an enzyme family that accomplishes regiospecific and irreversible introduction of multiple d-configured residues into ribosomally encoded peptides. Collectively, RSPEs can generate diverse epimerization patterns in a wide range of substrates. Previously, the lack of rapid methods to localize epimerized residues has impeded efforts to investigate the function and applicative potential of RSPEs. An efficient mass spectrometry-based assay is introduced that permits characterization of products generated in E. coli. Applying this to a range of non-natural peptide-epimerase combinations, it is shown that the d-amino acid pattern is largely but not exclusively dictated by the core peptide sequence, while the epimerization order is dependent on the enzyme-leader pair. RSPEs were found to be highly promiscuous, which allowed for modular introduction of peptide segments with defined patterns.

Metabolic and evolutionary origin of actin-binding polyketides from diverse organisms.

Actin-targeting macrolides comprise a large, structurally diverse group of cytotoxins isolated from remarkably dissimilar micro- and macroorganisms. In spite of their disparate origins and structures, many of these compounds bind actin at the same site and exhibit structural relationships reminiscent of modular, combinatorial drug libraries. Here we investigate biosynthesis and evolution of three compound groups: misakinolides, scytophycin-type compounds and luminaolides. For misakinolides from the sponge Theonella swinhoei WA, our data suggest production by an uncultivated 'Entotheonella' symbiont, further supporting the relevance of these bacteria as sources of bioactive polyketides and peptides in sponges. Insights into misakinolide biosynthesis permitted targeted genome mining for other members, providing a cyanobacterial luminaolide producer as the first cultivated source for this dimeric compound family. The data indicate that this polyketide family is bacteria-derived and that the unusual macrolide diversity is the result of combinatorial pathway modularity for some compounds and of convergent evolution for others.

Radical S-adenosyl methionine epimerases: regioselective introduction of diverse D-amino acid patterns into peptide natural products.

PoyD is a radical S-adenosyl methionine epimerase that introduces multiple D-configured amino acids at alternating positions into the highly complex marine peptides polytheonamide A and B. This novel post-translational modification contributes to the ability of the polytheonamides to form unimolecular minimalistic ion channels and its cytotoxic activity at picomolar levels. Using a genome mining approach we have identified additional PoyD homologues in various bacteria. Three enzymes were expressed in E. coli with their cognate as well as engineered peptide precursors and shown to introduce diverse D-amino acid patterns into all-L peptides. The data reveal a family of architecturally and functionally distinct enzymes that exhibit high regioselectivity, substrate promiscuity, and irreversible action and thus provide attractive opportunities for peptide engineering.

Metagenome mining reveals polytheonamides as posttranslationally modified ribosomal peptides.

It is held as a paradigm that ribosomally synthesized peptides and proteins contain only l-amino acids. We demonstrate a ribosomal origin of the marine sponge-derived polytheonamides, exceptionally potent, giant natural-product toxins. Isolation of the biosynthetic genes from the sponge metagenome revealed a bacterial gene architecture. Only six candidate enzymes were identified for 48 posttranslational modifications, including 18 epimerizations and 17 methylations of nonactivated carbon centers. Three enzymes were functionally validated, which showed that a radical S-adenosylmethionine enzyme is responsible for the unidirectional epimerization of multiple and different amino acids. Collectively, these complex alterations create toxins that function as unimolecular minimalistic ion channels with near-femtomolar activity. This study broadens the biosynthetic scope of ribosomal systems and creates new opportunities for peptide and protein bioengineering.

Symplocin A, a linear peptide from the Bahamian cyanobacterium Symploca sp. Configurational analysis of N,N-dimethylamino acids by chiral-phase HPLC of naphthacyl esters.

The absolute stereostructures of the components of symplocin A (3), a new N,N-dimethyl-terminated peptide from the Bahamian cyanobacterium Symploca sp., were assigned from spectroscopic analysis, including MS, 2D NMR, and Marfey's analysis. The complete absolute configuration of symplocin A, including the unexpected D-configurations of the terminal N,N-dimethylisoleucine and valic acid residues, was assigned by chiral-phase HPLC of the corresponding 2-naphthacyl esters, a highly sensitive, complementary strategy for assignment of N-blocked peptide residues where Marfey's method is ineffectual or other methods fall short. Symplocin A exhibited potent activity as an inhibitor of cathepsin E (IC(50) 300 pM).

Mollenyne A, a long-chain chlorodibromohydrin amide from the sponge Spirastrella mollis.

The structure of mollenyne A, a cytotoxic nitrogenous halogenated long-chain carboxamide from the sponge Spirastrella mollis, was elucidated by integrated spectroscopic analysis, including CD, and chemical conversion.

Biostructural features of additional jasplakinolide (jaspamide) analogues.

The cyclodepsipeptide jasplakinolide (1) (aka jaspamide), isolated previously from the marine sponge Jaspis splendens, is a unique cytotoxin and molecular probe that operates through stabilization of filamentous actin (F-actin). We have recently disclosed that two analogues of 1, jasplakinolides B (3) and E, were referred to the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Biological Evaluation Committee, and the objective of this study was to reinvestigate a Fijian collection of J. splendens in an effort to find jasplakinolide congeners with similar biological properties. The current efforts have afforded six known jasplakinolide analogues (4-7, 9, 10), two structures requiring revision (8 and 14), and four new congeners of 1 (11-13, 15) including open-chain derivatives and structures with modified ß-tyrosine residues. Compounds were evaluated for biological activity in the NCI's 60 cell line screen and in a microfilament disruption assay in both HCT-116 and HeLa cells. These two phenotypic screens provide evidence that each cytotoxic analogue, including jasplakinolide B (3), operates by modification of microfilaments. The new structure jasplakinolide V (13) has also been selected for study by the NCI's Biological Evaluation Committee. In addition, the results of a clonogenic dose-response study on jasplakinolide are presented.

New structures and bioactivity properties of jasplakinolide (jaspamide) analogues from marine sponges.

The goal of this study was to isolate and study additional jasplakinolide analogues from two taxonomically distinct marine sponges including two Auletta spp. and one Jaspis splendens. This led to the isolation of jasplakinolide (1) and eleven jasplakinolide analogues (3-13) including seven new analogues (6-10, 12, and 13). Structure elucidation of the new compounds was based on a combination of 1D and 2D NMR analysis, optical rotation, circular dichroism, and preparation of Mosher's esters. Five of the new compounds are oxidized tryptophan derivatives of 1, including a unique quinazoline derivative (9). Compounds 1, 3, 5-8, and 11 were evaluated in the NCI 60 cell line screen, and all compounds were tested in a microfilament disruption assay. Jasplakinolide B (11) exhibited potent cytotoxicity (GI(50) < 1 nM vs human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HCT-116) cells) but did not exhibit microfilament-disrupting activity at 80 nM.

Sponge-derived fijianolide polyketide class: further evaluation of their structural and cytotoxicity properties.

The sponge-derived polyketide macrolides fijianolides A (1) and B (2), isolaulimalide and laulimalide, have taxol-like microtubule-stabilizing activity, and the latter exhibits potent cytotoxicity. Insight on the biogeographical and phenotypic variations of Cacospongia mycofijiensis is presented that will enable a future study of the biosynthetic pathway that produces the fijianolides. In addition to fijianolides A and B, six new fijianolides, D-I (7-12), were isolated, each with modifications to the C-20 side chain of the macrolide ring. Compounds 7-12 exhibited a range of in vitro activities against HCT-116 and MDA-MB-435 cell lines. Fijianolides 8 and 10 were shown to disrupt interphase and mitotic division, but were less potent than 2. An in vivo evaluation of 2 using tumor-bearing severe combined immuno-deficiency mice demonstrated significant inhibition of growth in HCT-116 tumors over 28 days.

A chemical study of cyclic depsipeptides produced by a sponge-derived fungus.

Two novel cyclic depsipeptides, guangomides A (1) and B (2), together with a new destruxin derivative (3) were isolated from the cytotoxic extract obtained from the saltwater culture of an unidentifiable sponge-derived fungus. The new structures were elucidated on the basis of analysis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR data sets, and the absolute configurations of 2S, 9S, 13S, 19S, 24R, 28R of 1 were determined on the basis of the combined X-ray and Marfey's method structure analysis. Identical absolute configurations were assumed for 2. The cytotoxicity of the extract was found to be due to brefeldin A, while 1 and 2 showed weak antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus durans.