Protein and Peptide Letters - Volume 26, Issue 3, 2019

Background: Amphibian skin plays an essential role in protecting organisms from harmful external factors such as UV radiation. How amphibians protect themselves from reactive oxygen species following long-term sun exposure is an important and interesting question. Amphibian skins possess a novel antioxidant system composed of various Antioxidant Peptides (AOPs), which maintain redox homeostasis. However, only a few AOPs have been identified so far. Methods: Using combinational methods of peptidomics and genomics, we characterized a novel gene-encoded antioxidant peptide (herein named OA-VI12) from Odorrana andersonii skin secretions, which was produced by the post-translational processing of a 59-residue prepropeptide. The amino acid sequence of the OA-V112 was 'VIPFLACRPLGL', with a molecular mass of 1298.6 Da and no observed post-transcriptional modifications. Functional analysis demonstrated that OA-VI12 was capable of scavenging ABTS+, DPPH, NO and decreasing the Fe3+ production. Results: We determined that the C7 amino acid was responsible for ABTS+ and Fe3+ scavenging, activities, the F4, C7, and P9 amino acids were crucial for DPPH scavenging activity, and the P9 amino acid was responsible for NO scavenging activity. Unlike several other amphibian peptides, OA-VI12 did not accelerate wound healing in a full-thickness skin-wound mouse model and did not demonstrate direct microbial killing. Here, we identified and named a novel gene-encoded antioxidant peptide from the skin secretions of an odorous frog species, which may assist in the development of potential antioxidant candidates. Conclusion: This study may help improve our understanding of the molecular basis of amphibians’ adaptation to environments experiencing long-term UV radiation.

Background: Acetohydroxyacid Synthase (AHAS) is the first enzyme in the biosynthesis pathway of the branched chain amino acids. AHAS is the common target site of five herbicide chemical groups: sulfonylurea, imidazolinone, triazolopyrimidine, pyrimidinyl-thiobenzoates, and sulfonyl-aminocarbonyl-triazolinone. Objective: The purification of protein enabled us to study the physical and biochemical properties of the enzyme. In addition in vitro activity of this enzyme was tested in the presence of four different sulfonylureaherbicides and the feedback regulation of enzyme was analyzed in the presence of branched amino acids. Methods: The gene encoding catalytic subunit of rice AHAS (cOsAHAS) without part of the chloroplast transit sequence was cloned into the bacterial expression vector pET41a and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli as carboxy-terminal extensions of glutathione-S-transferase (GST).The soluble protein was purified using affinity chromatography. The measurement of GSTOsAHAS activity was performed under optimized conditions at present of branched-chain amino acids and sulfonylurea herbicides independently. Results: The optimum pH and temperature for GST-cOsAHAS activity was 8.0 and 37 °C, respectively. The specific activity and Km value of this enzyme toward pyruvate were 0.08 U/mg and 30 mM, respectively.GST-cOsAHAS was inhibited by herbicides tribenuron, sulfosulfuron, nicosulfuron and bensulfuron while the enzyme was insensitivieto end products. Conclusion: These results suggest that the recombinant form of GST-cOsAHAS is functionally active and carries the binding site for sulfynylurea herbicides. Furthermore, GST-cOsAHAS was insensitive to feedback inhibition by endproducts which indicates the existence of a regulator subunit in rice AHAS as previously has been described in other plant AHASs.

Background: The dust mite Dermatophagoides farinae is a common worldwide cause of indoor allergies induced by its proteins, including the mid-tier allergen Der f 7. Objective: To identify conformational epitopes in Der f 7 using mimotope mapping and computational modelling. Methods: Here, we used standard hybridoma technology to generate 3 new monoclonal antibodies against Der f 7 and performed mimotope mapping by probing a random peptide phage display library. Computational tools, including Minox and the DiscoTope-2.0 Server were used to assess the structure and potential position of antigenic residues within Der f 7. Results: Thirteen mimotopes sharing the common sequence --XX[LST]P[-E][LI]MLPLR[-S]- were identified. Further, computationally-predicted conformational epitopes were found at residues 1-7, 10, 27, 76-81, 92, and 130-133 of Der f 7, and the key amino acids for these epitopes were deduced to be 2P, 3I, 10E, 27E, 78E, 79E, 81I, 130S, and 132E based on the common mimotope sequence. Conclusion: We identified Der f 7 peptide mimotopes that may model binding sites for blocking antibodies. These may guide the development of immunotherapy for individuals with hypersensitivity to Der f 7.

Background: In the last years, Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) and lipopeptides have received attention as promising candidates to treat infections caused by resistant microorganisms. Objective: The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of repetitive KLFK motifs and the attachment of aliphatic acids to the N-terminus of (KLFK)n peptides on therapeutic properties. Methods: Minimal inhibitory concentration against Gram (+) and (-) bacteria and yeast of synthetic compounds were determined by broth microtiter dilution method, and the toxicity was evaluated by hemolysis assay. Membrane-peptide interaction studies were performed with model phospholipid membranes mimicking those of bacterial and mammalian cells by Fluorescence Spectroscopy. The secondary structure in solution and membranes was determined by Circular Dichroism. Results: Our results showed that the resulting compounds have inhibitory activity against bacteria and fungi. The (KLFK)3 peptide showed the highest therapeutic index against bacterial and yeast strains, and the (KLFK)2 peptide conjugated with octanoic acid was the most active against yeasts. All the lipopeptides containing long-chain fatty acids (C14 or longer) were highly hemolytic at low concentrations. The antimicrobial activity of (KLFK)2 and (KLFK)3 lipopeptides was mainly associated with improved stability of the amphipathic secondary structure, which showed high contributions of α-helix in dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) vesicles. Conclusion: The repetition of the KLFK sequence and the conjugation with lipid tails allowed obtained compounds with high antimicrobial activity and low toxicity, becoming good candidates for treating infectious diseases.

Background: Paraoxonase (PON; arilesterase, [EC 3.1.8.1]) is an enzyme from the group arilesterases (ARE). This enzyme is capable of hydrolyzing paraoxone which is the active metabolite of parathion, an organic phosphorus insecticide. PON activity was found to be low in individuals prone to development of atherosclerosis such as diabetes, familial hypercholesterolemia and kidney disorders. It was noted that PON enzyme activity decreases in relation to age increase in adults. PON enzyme activity is approximately half of that in newborns and premature babies. Approximately one year after birth, it reaches the adult level. It can be said that PON1 has significant role on living organisms. For this reason, many studies on interactions of PON-drugs are needed. Objective: In this article, our aim is to investigate in vitro effects of four pharmaceutically active agents (fosfomycin, cefuroxime axetil, cefaclor monohydrate, and cefixime) which are often used in patients after surgery on human serum paraoxanase-I (PON1) enzyme activity. Methods: In this article, we purify paraoxonase-I enzyme from human serum by using ammonium sulfate precipitation (in the range of 60-80%), ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. We use electrophoresis to check the purity of the enzyme. We investigate the paraoxonase activity of the enzyme at 412 nm the inhibition effects of the active substances. Paraoxone is used as the substrate. Activity measurements arw made at different inhibitor concentrations related to inhibitor studies and % Activity- [I] graphs are drawn for drug active substances. Lineweaver-Burk graphics are used to determine the Ki constants. Finally, to determine the types of inhibition we interpret these graphs. Results: The active agents used after surgery decreased the PON1 enzyme activity. They showed different inhibition mechanism. The inhibition mechanism of fosfomycin and cefaclor monohydrate was noncompetitive, cefixime was uncompetitive and cefuroxime axetil was a competitive inhibitor. The IC50 values for fosfomycin, cefuroxime axetil, cefaclor monohydrate, and cefixime were calculated to be 31.5 mM, 1.03 mM, 4.18 mM and 0.781 mM, respectively, and the Ki constants were determined to be 27.98 ± 12.25 mM, 2.20 ± 0.22 mM, 4.81 ± 2.25 mM and 1.12 ± 0.32 mM, respectively. The IC50 and Ki values showed that cefixime active agent has the maximum inhibition. Conclusion: In this study, we have detected that cefuroxime axetil inhibited competitively in vitro paraoxonase activity of this enzyme. According to this information, we thought that cefuroxime axetil linked to the active site of the enzyme. Fosfomycin and cefaclor monohydrate can be attached with amino acids out of the active site of the enzyme because they inhibit enzyme noncompetitively. Cefixime can be attached only to the enzyme-substrate complex because it inhibits enzyme uncompetitively.

In the Review Article entitled “An Emerging Role of Endometrial Inflammasome in Reproduction: New Therapeutic Approaches” published in Protein & Peptides Letters, 2018, Vol. 26, No. 5, the affiliations of authors are revised due to recent restructuring that took place within the Institution for which the authors work for. The revised affiliation is as follows: Fiorella Di Nicuoloa,b,*, Monia Specchiac, Lorenza Trentavizic, Alfredo Pontecorvid, Giovanni Scambiacc,e and Nicoletta Di Simoneb,c aIstituto Scientifico Internazionale Paolo VI, ISI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italia; bFondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, U.O.C. di Ostetricia e Patologia Ostetrica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna e del Bambino, Roma, Italia; cUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Clinica Ostetrica e Ginecologica, Roma, Italia; dFondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dipartimento di Scienze Gastroenterologiche, Endocrino- Metaboliche e Nefro-Urologiche, Roma, Italia; eFondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, U.O.C. di Ginecologia Oncologica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna e del Bambino, Roma, Italia