Structural analysis and biosynthetic engineering of a solubility-improved and less-hemolytic nystatin-like polyene in Pseudonocardia autotrophica

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012 Jul;95(1):157-68. doi: 10.1007/s00253-012-3955-x. Epub 2012 Mar 1.

Abstract

Polyene antibiotics such as nystatin are a large family of very valuable antifungal polyketide compounds typically produced by soil actinomycetes. Previously, using a polyene cytochrome P450 hydroxylase-specific genome screening strategy, Pseudonocardia autotrophica KCTC9441 was determined to contain an approximately 125.7-kb region of contiguous DNA with a total of 23 open reading frames, which are involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of a structurally unique polyene natural product named NPP. Here, we report the complete structure of NPP, which contains an aglycone identical to nystatin and harbors a unique di-sugar moiety, mycosaminyl-(α1-4)-N-acetyl-glucosamine. A mutant generated by inactivation of a sole glycosyltransferase gene (nppDI) within the npp gene cluster can be complemented in trans either by nppDI-encoded protein or by its nystatin counterpart, NysDI, suggesting that the two sugars might be attached by two different glycosyltransferases. Compared with nystatin (which bears a single sugar moiety), the di-sugar containing NPP exhibits approximately 300-fold higher water solubility and 10-fold reduced hemolytic activity, while retaining about 50% antifungal activity against Candida albicans. These characteristics reveal NPP as a promising candidate for further development into a pharmacokinetically improved, less-cytotoxic polyene antifungal antibiotic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actinomycetales / enzymology
  • Actinomycetales / genetics*
  • Actinomycetales / metabolism*
  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / metabolism*
  • Biotechnology / methods
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Genetic Engineering / methods*
  • Hemolysis*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Multigene Family
  • Mutation
  • Nystatin* / biosynthesis
  • Nystatin* / chemistry
  • Polyenes* / chemistry
  • Polyenes* / metabolism
  • Solubility
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Polyenes
  • Nystatin