Computer-aided rational molecular design of argifin-derivatives with increased inhibitory activity against chitinase B from Serratia marcescens

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2009 May 15;19(10):2630-3. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2009.04.013. Epub 2009 Apr 9.

Abstract

Argifin, a novel pentapeptide chitinase inhibitor isolated from Gliocladium fungal culture, is a promising candidate for the development of new fungicides, insecticides, and anti-asthma medications. In this study, we undertook rational molecular design of argifin-derivatives and tested them against chitinase B from Serratia marcescens (SmChiB). The work involved molecular dynamics simulation with explicit water molecules, the molecular docking calculation, and free-energy analysis using the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area method. The custom-designed derivatives were synthesized via effective solid phase synthesis, developed recently in our laboratory, and their inhibitory activities were measured against SmChiB. Finally, we identified and obtained a derivative which exhibited 28-fold more inhibition than argifin itself, a compound in which the d-Ala(5) of argifin was replaced with d-Leu and the 4-benzylpiperdine was attached to l-Asp(4).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Chitinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Chitinases / metabolism
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drug Design
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Gliocladium / chemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Peptides, Cyclic / chemistry*
  • Peptides, Cyclic / isolation & purification
  • Peptides, Cyclic / pharmacology
  • Pesticides / chemical synthesis
  • Pesticides / chemistry*
  • Pesticides / pharmacology
  • Serratia marcescens / enzymology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Pesticides
  • argifin
  • Chitinases