A synthetic Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 DnaB split mini-intein gene was constructed for the in vivo cyclization of recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli. The system was used to cyclize the NH(2)-terminal domain of E. coli DnaB, the structure of which had been determined previously by NMR spectroscopy. Cyclization was found to proceed efficiently, with little accumulation of precursor, and the product was purified in high yield. The solution structure of cyclic DnaB-N is not significantly different from that of linear DnaB-N and it unfolds reversibly at temperatures approximately 14 degrees C higher. Improved hydrogen bonding was observed in the first and last helices, and the length of the last helix was increased, while the 9-amino acid linker used to join the NH(2) and COOH termini was found to be highly mobile. The measured thermodynamic stabilization of the structure (Delta Delta G approximately 2 kcal/mol) agrees well with the value estimated from the reduced conformational entropy in the unfolded form. Simple polymer theory can be used to predict likely free energy changes resulting from protein cyclization and how the stabilization depends on the size of the protein and the length of the linker used to connect the termini.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M110303200 | DOI Listing |
Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging
January 2025
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 52 Mei Hua East Road, Zhuhai, 519000, China.
Purpose: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the primary stromal component of the tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), affecting tumor progression and post-resection recurrence. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a key biomarker of CAFs. However, there is limited evidence on using FAP as a target in near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging for HCC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRSC Med Chem
December 2024
Research Group of Organic Chemistry, Departments of Bioengineering Sciences and Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Brussels Belgium
A peptide segment that is 10 residues long at the C-terminal (CT) region of Cx43 is known to be involved in interactions, both with the Cx43 protein itself and with other proteins, that result in hemichannel (HC) activity regulation. Previously reported mimetic peptides based on this region (, , ) have been revealed to be promising therapeutic agents in the context of cardiovascular diseases. In this work, novel approaches, such as C- and N-terminal modification and cyclization, to improve the proteolytic stability and bioavailability of the peptide are presented.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Chem Biol
January 2025
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA.
Peptide cyclization is a defining feature of many bioactive molecules, particularly in the ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) family of natural products. Although enzymes responsible for N- to C-terminal macrocyclization, lanthipeptide formation or heterocycle installation have been well documented, a diverse array of cyclases have been discovered that perform crosslinking of aromatic side chains. These enzymes form either biaryl linkages between two aromatic amino acids or a crosslink between one aliphatic amino acid and one aromatic amino acid.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrob Cell Fact
January 2025
Chair of Technical Biochemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, Bergstraße 66, 01069, Dresden, Germany.
Background: The biosynthesis of the natural product family of the polycyclic tetramate macrolactams (PoTeMs) employs an uncommon iterative polyketide synthase/non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (iPKS/NRPS). This machinery produces a universal PoTeM biosynthetic precursor that contains a tetramic acid moiety connected to two unsaturated polyene side chains. The enormous structural and hence functional diversity of PoTeMs is enabled by pathway-specific tailoring enzymes, particularly cyclization-catalyzing oxidases that process the polyene chains to form distinct ring systems, and further modifying enzymes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOrg Lett
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Ministry of Education and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
The cyclic structure of non-ribosomal peptides (NRPs) is critical for enhancing their stability and bioactivity, which highlights the importance of exploring NRP cyclization enzymes for natural product discovery. Thioesterases (TEs) are crucial enzymes that catalyze the formation of various lactams, including macrolactams, β-lactams, and γ-lactams; however, their potential to produce other lactam types remains largely unexplored. In this study, we identified spinactin A () and novel derivatives, spinactin B-E (-), from NRRL 18395 and characterized the biosynthetic enzymes involved, particularly a unique TE SncF, responsible for δ-lactam formation.
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