Insights into the Mechanism of Peptide Cyclodehydrations Achieved through the Chemoenzymatic Generation of Amide Derivatives

Current strategies for generating peptides and proteins bearing amide carbonyl derivatives rely on solid-phase peptide synthesis for amide functionalization. Although such strategies have been successfully implemented, technical limitations restrict both the length and sequence of the synthetic fragments. Herein we report the repurposing of a thiazole/oxazole-modified microcin (TOMM) cyclodehydratase to site-specifically install amide backbone labels onto diverse peptide substrates, a method we refer to as azoline-mediated peptide backbone labeling (AMPL). This convenient chemoenzymatic strategy can generate both thioamides and amides with isotopically labeled oxygen atoms. Moreover, we demonstrate the first leader peptide-independent activity of a TOMM synthetase, circumventing the requirement that sequences of interest be fused to a leader peptide for modification. Through bioinformatics-guided site-directed mutagenesis, we also convert a strictly dehydrogenase-dependent TOMM azole synthetase into an azoline synthetase. This vastly expands the spectrum of substrates modifiable by AMPL by allowing any <i>in vitro</i> reconstituted TOMM synthetase to be employed. To demonstrate the utility of AMPL for mechanistic enzymology studies, an ¹⁸O-labeled substrate was generated to provide direct evidence that cyclodehydrations in TOMMs occur through the phosphorylation of the carbonyl oxygen preceding the cyclized residue. Furthermore, we demonstrate that AMPL is a useful tool for establishing the location of azolines both on <i>in vitro</i> modified peptides and azoline-containing natural products

Synthesis of Plantazolicin Analogues Enables Dissection of Ligand Binding Interactions of a Highly Selective Methyltransferase

A convergent strategy for the synthesis of truncated analogues of plantazolicin (PZN), a member of the thiazole/oxazole-modified microcin (TOMM) class of natural products, has been developed. These <i>N</i>-terminal mono-, tri-, and pentazole substructures of PZN were utilized to probe the substrate requirements and thermodynamic ligand binding parameters of an unusually selective PZN methyltransferase (BamL) by isothermal titration calorimetry. Our results demonstrate that the presence of a single <i>N</i>-terminal azole permits efficient processing by BamL; however, the substrate binding becomes stronger with increased polyazole chain length

YcaO containing protein alignment

An alignment of all YcaO containing (D) proteins that were used in the analysis. This alignment was used to generate Figures S3 and S

Maximum likelihood tree with YcaO containing protiens

This is a Maximum likelihood tree with all the YcaO domain containing (D) proteins used in this study. This tree was used to create Figures S3 and S4, but colored differently depending on the TOMM created

Orchestration of Enzymatic Processing by Thiazole/Oxazole-Modified Microcin Dehydrogenases

Thiazole/oxazole-modified microcins (TOMMs) comprise a structurally diverse family of natural products with varied bioactivities linked by the presence of posttranslationally installed thiazol­(in)­e and oxazol­(in)­e heterocycles. The detailed investigation of the TOMM biosynthetic enzymes from Bacillus sp. Al Hakam (Balh) has provided significant insight into heterocycle biosynthesis. Thiazoles and oxazoles are installed by the successive action of an ATP-dependent cyclodehydratase (C- and D-protein) and a FMN-dependent dehydrogenase (B-protein), which are responsible for azoline formation and azoline oxidation, respectively. Although several studies have focused on the mechanism of azoline formation, many details regarding the role of the dehydrogenase (B-protein) in overall substrate processing remain unknown. In this work, we evaluated the involvement of the dehydrogenase in determining the order of ring formation as well as the promiscuity of the Balh and microcin B17 cyclodehydratases to accept a panel of noncognate dehydrogenases. In support of the observed promiscuity, a fluorescence polarization assay was utilized to measure binding of the dehydrogenase to the cyclodehydratase using the intrinsic fluorescence of the FMN cofactor. Ultimately, the noncognate dehydrogenases were shown to possess cyclodehydratase-independent activity. A previous study identified a conserved Lys–Tyr motif to be important for dehydrogenase activity. Using the tools developed in this study, the Lys–Tyr motif was shown neither to alter complex formation with the cyclodehydratase nor the reduction potential. Taken together with the known crystal structure of a homologue, our data suggest that the Lys–Tyr motif is of catalytic importance. Overall, this study provides a greater level of insight into the complex orchestration of enzymatic activity during TOMM biosynthesis

Bioinformatic Expansion and Discovery of Thiopeptide Antibiotics

Thiopeptides are members of the ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide family of natural products. Most characterized thiopeptides display nanomolar potency toward Gram-positive bacteria by blocking protein translation with several being produced at the industrial scale for veterinary and livestock applications. Employing our custom bioinformatics program, RODEO, we expand the thiopeptide family of natural products by a factor of four. This effort revealed many new thiopeptide biosynthetic gene clusters with products predicted to be distinct from characterized thiopeptides and identified gene clusters for previously characterized molecules of unknown biosynthetic origin. To further validate our data set of predicted thiopeptide biosynthetic gene clusters, we isolated and characterized a structurally unique thiopeptide featuring a central piperidine and rare thioamide moiety. Termed saalfelduracin, this thiopeptide displayed potent antibiotic activity toward several drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens. A combination of whole-genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and heterologous expression experiments confirmed that the thioamide moiety of saalfelduracin is installed post-translationally by the joint action of two proteins, TfuA and YcaO. These results reconcile the previously unknown origin of the thioamide in two long-known thiopeptides, thiopeptin and Sch 18640. Armed with these new insights into thiopeptide chemical-genomic space, we provide a roadmap for the discovery of additional members of this natural product family

Bioinformatic Expansion and Discovery of Thiopeptide Antibiotics

Thiopeptides are members of the ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide family of natural products. Most characterized thiopeptides display nanomolar potency toward Gram-positive bacteria by blocking protein translation with several being produced at the industrial scale for veterinary and livestock applications. Employing our custom bioinformatics program, RODEO, we expand the thiopeptide family of natural products by a factor of four. This effort revealed many new thiopeptide biosynthetic gene clusters with products predicted to be distinct from characterized thiopeptides and identified gene clusters for previously characterized molecules of unknown biosynthetic origin. To further validate our data set of predicted thiopeptide biosynthetic gene clusters, we isolated and characterized a structurally unique thiopeptide featuring a central piperidine and rare thioamide moiety. Termed saalfelduracin, this thiopeptide displayed potent antibiotic activity toward several drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens. A combination of whole-genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and heterologous expression experiments confirmed that the thioamide moiety of saalfelduracin is installed post-translationally by the joint action of two proteins, TfuA and YcaO. These results reconcile the previously unknown origin of the thioamide in two long-known thiopeptides, thiopeptin and Sch 18640. Armed with these new insights into thiopeptide chemical-genomic space, we provide a roadmap for the discovery of additional members of this natural product family

Bioinformatic Expansion and Discovery of Thiopeptide Antibiotics

Thiopeptides are members of the ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide family of natural products. Most characterized thiopeptides display nanomolar potency toward Gram-positive bacteria by blocking protein translation with several being produced at the industrial scale for veterinary and livestock applications. Employing our custom bioinformatics program, RODEO, we expand the thiopeptide family of natural products by a factor of four. This effort revealed many new thiopeptide biosynthetic gene clusters with products predicted to be distinct from characterized thiopeptides and identified gene clusters for previously characterized molecules of unknown biosynthetic origin. To further validate our data set of predicted thiopeptide biosynthetic gene clusters, we isolated and characterized a structurally unique thiopeptide featuring a central piperidine and rare thioamide moiety. Termed saalfelduracin, this thiopeptide displayed potent antibiotic activity toward several drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens. A combination of whole-genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and heterologous expression experiments confirmed that the thioamide moiety of saalfelduracin is installed post-translationally by the joint action of two proteins, TfuA and YcaO. These results reconcile the previously unknown origin of the thioamide in two long-known thiopeptides, thiopeptin and Sch 18640. Armed with these new insights into thiopeptide chemical-genomic space, we provide a roadmap for the discovery of additional members of this natural product family

Bioinformatic Expansion and Discovery of Thiopeptide Antibiotics

Thiopeptides are members of the ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide family of natural products. Most characterized thiopeptides display nanomolar potency toward Gram-positive bacteria by blocking protein translation with several being produced at the industrial scale for veterinary and livestock applications. Employing our custom bioinformatics program, RODEO, we expand the thiopeptide family of natural products by a factor of four. This effort revealed many new thiopeptide biosynthetic gene clusters with products predicted to be distinct from characterized thiopeptides and identified gene clusters for previously characterized molecules of unknown biosynthetic origin. To further validate our data set of predicted thiopeptide biosynthetic gene clusters, we isolated and characterized a structurally unique thiopeptide featuring a central piperidine and rare thioamide moiety. Termed saalfelduracin, this thiopeptide displayed potent antibiotic activity toward several drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens. A combination of whole-genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and heterologous expression experiments confirmed that the thioamide moiety of saalfelduracin is installed post-translationally by the joint action of two proteins, TfuA and YcaO. These results reconcile the previously unknown origin of the thioamide in two long-known thiopeptides, thiopeptin and Sch 18640. Armed with these new insights into thiopeptide chemical-genomic space, we provide a roadmap for the discovery of additional members of this natural product family

Selectivity, Directionality, and Promiscuity in Peptide Processing from a <i>Bacillus</i> sp. Al Hakam Cyclodehydratase

The <u>t</u>hiazole/<u>o</u>xazole-<u>m</u>odified <u>m</u>icrocins (TOMMs) represent a burgeoning class of ribosomal natural products decorated with thiazoles and (methyl)­oxazoles originating from cysteines, serines, and threonines. The ribosomal nature of TOMMs allows for the generation of derivative products from mutations in the amino acid sequence of the precursor peptide, which ultimately manifest in differing structures and, sometimes, biological functions. Employing a TOMM system for the purpose of creating new structures and functions via combinatorial biosynthesis requires processing machinery that can tolerate highly variable substrates. In this study, TOMM enzymatic promiscuity was assessed using a currently uncharacterized cluster in <i>Bacillus</i> sp. Al Hakam. As determined by Fourier transform tandem mass spectrometry (FT-MS/MS), azole rings were formed in both a regio- and chemoselective fashion. Cognate and noncognate precursor peptides were modified in an overall C- to N-terminal directionality, which to date is unique among characterized ribosomal natural products. Studies focused on the inherent promiscuity of the biosynthetic machinery elucidated a modest bias for glycine at the preceding (−1) position and a remarkable flexibility in the following (+1) position, even allowing for the incorporation of charged amino acids and bisheterocyclization. Two unnatural substrates were utilized as the conclusive test of substrate flexibility, of which both were processed in a predictable fashion. A greater understanding of substrate processing and enzymatic tolerance toward unnatural substrates will prove beneficial when designing combinatorial libraries to screen for artificial TOMMs that exhibit desired activities