Secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) of pathogenic Candida spp. represent a specific target for antifungal drug development. We synthesized a series of peptidomimetic inhibitors with different isosteric groups and modifications at individual positions and tested them with purified Saps from C. albicans (Sap2p), C. tropicalis (Sapt1p), and C. parapsilosis (Sapp1p). The kinetic parameters indicated that all three proteases prefer binding of inhibitors containing bulky hydrophobic residues between positions P3 and P3'. The most divergent specificity was found for Sapp1p. The sequence alignment of Sap2p, Sapt1p, and Sapp1p, and homology modeling of Sapp1p with the crystal structure of Sapt1p and the complex of Sap2p with a peptidomimetic inhibitor showed that the overall folds of Sap2p, Sapt1p, and Sapp1p are similar. However, the N- and C-terminal loops formed by disulfide bonds between residues 47-53 and 258-292 are significantly shorter in Sapp1p, and a unique insertion following Tyr 129 in Sapp1p results in the formation of a loop that can interact with inhibitor residues. These Sapp1p structural differences might lead to its altered susceptibility to inhibition.
- MeSH
- aspartátové endopeptidasy chemie účinky léků MeSH
- Candida enzymologie MeSH
- inhibitory proteas chemická syntéza chemie farmakologie MeSH
- izoenzymy chemie účinky léků MeSH
- molekulární konformace MeSH
- molekulární modely * MeSH
- molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
- sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
- sekvenční homologie aminokyselin MeSH
- stereoizomerie MeSH
- substrátová specifita MeSH
- terciární struktura proteinů MeSH
- vztahy mezi strukturou a aktivitou MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- aspartátové endopeptidasy MeSH
- inhibitory proteas MeSH
- izoenzymy MeSH
The yeasts of the genus Candida are opportunistic pathogens associated with the rising incidence of life-threatening infections in immunocompromised individuals. Secretion of aspartic proteinases has been determined to be one of the virulence factors of the pathogenic Candida species. To analyze the extracellular proteolytic activities of a large number of Candida clinical isolates, we developed a screening system based on a solid medium containing hemoglobin as the sole nitrogen source. The cleavage of hemoglobin by the secreted proteinases results in formation of clearance zones. The visibility of such zones was enhanced by addition of an acid-base indicator. Using this system, we assessed 245 clinical isolates of Candida from patients in the hospital of the Faculty of Medicine, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, for the presence of secreted aspartic proteases (Saps). We also used the test plates for rapid semiquantitative testing of Sap inhibitors. Most of the pepstatin analogs affected the formation of the zones of clearance as well as the growth of Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis colonies. By contrast, the human immunodeficiency virus proteinase inhibitors saquinavir, ritonavir, nelfinavir, and indinavir had no effect on the Candida strains tested. These results are in agreement with the inhibition constants obtained for the individual inhibitors with purified Saps. Thus, the plates containing hemoglobin proved to be an appropriate tool for the rapid and reliable assessment of Sap production and inhibition.
- MeSH
- Candida enzymologie izolace a purifikace MeSH
- endopeptidasy analýza metabolismus MeSH
- koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
- kultivační média MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mikrobiologické techniky metody MeSH
- proteasy metabolismus MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- endopeptidasy MeSH
- kultivační média MeSH
- proteasy MeSH
