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Structure of the complex between teicoplanin and a bacterial cell-wall peptide: use of a carrier-protein approach
Journal article   Open access

Structure of the complex between teicoplanin and a bacterial cell-wall peptide: use of a carrier-protein approach

Nicoleta J Economou, Isaac J Zentner, Edwin Lazo, Jean Jakoncic, Vivian Stojanoff, Stephen D Weeks, Kimberly C Grasty, Simon Cocklin and Patrick J Loll
Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography., v 69(Pt 4), pp 520-533
Apr 2013
PMID: 23519660
url
https://doi.org/10.1107/S0907444912050469View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

carrier proteins teicoplanin Research Papers glycopeptides radiation damage antibiotics
Using a carrier-protein strategy, the structure of teicoplanin bound to its bacterial cell-wall target has been determined. The structure reveals the molecular determinants of target recognition, flexibility in the antibiotic backbone and intrinsic radiation sensitivity of teicoplanin. Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are commonly treated with glycopeptide antibiotics such as teicoplanin. This drug inhibits bacterial cell-wall biosynthesis by binding and sequestering a cell-wall precursor: a d -alanine-containing peptide. A carrier-protein strategy was used to crystallize the complex of teicoplanin and its target peptide by fusing the cell-wall peptide to either MBP or ubiquitin via native chemical ligation and subsequently crystallizing the protein–peptide–antibiotic complex. The 2.05 Å resolution MBP–peptide–teicoplanin structure shows that teicoplanin recognizes its ligand through a combination of five hydrogen bonds and multiple van der Waals interactions. Comparison of this teicoplanin structure with that of unliganded teicoplanin reveals a flexibility in the antibiotic peptide backbone that has significant implications for ligand recognition. Diffraction experiments revealed an X-ray-induced dechlorination of the sixth amino acid of the antibiotic; it is shown that teicoplanin is significantly more radiation-sensitive than other similar antibiotics and that ligand binding increases radiosensitivity. Insights derived from this new teicoplanin structure may contribute to the development of next-generation antibacterials designed to overcome bacterial resistance.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Biochemical Research Methods
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Biophysics
Crystallography
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