Peptide deformylase (PDF) is essential in prokaryotes and absent in mammalian cells, thus making it an attractive target for the discovery of novel antibiotics. We have identified actinonin, a naturally occurring antibacterial agent, as a potent PDF inhibitor. The dissociation constant for this compound was 0.3 x 10(-)(9) M against Ni-PDF from Escherichia coli; the PDF from Staphylococcus aureus gave a similar value. Microbiological evaluation revealed that actinonin is a bacteriostatic agent with activity against Gram-positive and fastidious Gram-negative microorganisms. The PDF gene, def, was placed under control of P(BAD) in E. coli tolC, permitting regulation of PDF expression levels in the cell by varying the external arabinose concentration. The susceptibility of this strain to actinonin increases with decreased levels of PDF expression, indicating that actinonin inhibits bacterial growth by targeting this enzyme. Actinonin provides an excellent starting point from which to derive a more potent PDF inhibitor that has a broader spectrum of antibacterial activity.

The gag and pol genes of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) (ref. 1) are translated as two polyproteins, Pr55gag and Pr160gag-pol (refs 2-6), which are subsequently cleaved by the action of a virus-encoded protease into the four structural gag proteins of the virion core (p17, p24, p7 and p6) and the pol-encoded enzymes essential for retrovirus replication (protease, reverse transcriptase, ribonuclease H, and endonuclease). Mutational inactivation of the proteases of HIV-1 and other retroviruses results in immature, non-infectious virions, indicating that exogenous inhibition of the protease may represent an attractive approach to anti-AIDS therapy. Here we demonstrate that synthetic peptide analogues, which are potent inhibitors of purified HIV-1 protease, inhibit the processing of the viral polyproteins in cultures of HIV-1-infected T lymphocytes and attenuate viral infectivity.

The synthesis of a DNA hybridization probe 19 nucleotides in length, equipped with the metal chelator EDTA at C-5 of thymidine in position 10 (indicated by T*) is described. DNA-EDTA 1 has the sequence 5'-T-A-A-C-G-C-A-G-T*-C-A-G-G-C-A-C-C-G-T-3', which is complementary to a 19-nucleotide sequence in the plasmid pBR322. In the presence of Fe(II), O2, and dithiothreitol, DNA-EDTA 1 affords specific cleavage (25 degrees C, pH 7.4, 60 min) at its complementary sequence in a heat-denatured 167-base-pair restriction fragment. Cleavage occurs over a range of 16 nucleotides at the site of hybridization of 1, presumably due to a diffusible reactive species. No other cleavage sites are observed in the 167-base-pair restriction fragment. The procedure used to synthesize DNA-EDTA probes is based on the incorporation of a thymidine modified at C-5 with the triethyl ester of EDTA. By using routine phosphoramidite procedures, thymidine-EDTA can be incorporated into oligodeoxynucleotides of any desired length and sequence. Because the efficiency of the DNA cleavage reaction is dependent on the addition of both Fe(II) and reducing agent (dithiothreitol), the initiation of the cleavage reaction can be controlled. These DNA-EDTA X Fe(II) probes should be useful for the sequence-specific cleavage of single-stranded DNA (and most likely RNA) under mild conditions.

Inhibitors of the protease from human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) were designed, synthesized, and kinetically characterized. Analogues of a heptapeptide substrate of HIV-1 protease with sequence similar to the pl7-p24 cleavage site in the natural substrate, Pr55519, were synthesized in which the scissile dipeptide bond was replaced with bonds from six categories of stable mimics of an aspartic proteolysis transition state or intermediate. These mimics included an analogue of statine, hydroxyethylene isosteres, two categories of phosphinic acids, a reduced amide isostere, and an a,a-difluoroketone. The resulting peptide analogues were linear competitive inhibitors of purified recombinant HIV-1 protease with inhibition constants ranging from 18 nM to 40 ,uM depending on the type of inhibitor. A truncated inhibitor, an analogue of a hexapeptide, retained full inhibitory potency. The most potent inhibitors, containing the hydroxyethylene isostere, effectively blocked the proteolytic processing of a recombinant form of Pr55s'9 by HIV-1 protease in a cell-free assay.

Recombinant human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) protease, purified from a bacterial expression system, processed a recombinant form of its natural substrate, Pr55sag, into protein fragments that possess molecular weights commensurate with those of the virion gag proteins. Molecular weights of the protease obtained under denaturing and nondenaturing conditions (11,000 and 22,000, respectively) and chemical crosslinking studies were consistent with a dimeric structure for the active enzyme. The protease appropriately cleaved the nonapeptide Ac-Arg-Ala-Ser-Gln-Asn-Tyr-ProVal-Val-NH2 between the tyrosine and proline residues. HIV-1 protease was sensitive to inactivators of the aspartic proteases. The aspartic protease inactivator 1,2-epoxy-3-(4-nitrophenoxy)propane produced irreversible, time-dependent inactivation of the protease. The pH-dependent kinetics of this inactivator were consistent with the requirement of an unprotonated carboxyl group in the active site of the enzyme, suggesting that HIV-1 protease is also an aspartic protease.