Purification and biological activity of natural variants synthesized by tridecaptin M gene cluster and in vitro drug-kinetics of this antibiotic class

The flexibility of the adenylation domains of non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) to different substrates creates a diversity of structurally similar peptides. In the present study, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of different natural variants synthesized by tridecaptin M gene cluster and performed the in vitro drug kinetics on this class. The natural variants were isolated and characterized using MALDI-MS and tandem mass spectrometry. All the peptides were studied for their antimicrobial activity in different pathogens, including colistin-resistant bacteria, and for haemolytic activity. Furthermore, in vitro drug kinetics was performed with tridecaptin M (or M(1), the major product of the gene cluster). The natural variants displayed a varying degree of bioactivity with M(11) showing the most potent antibacterial activity (MIC, 1–8 µg/ml), even against A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa strains. The in vitro kinetic studies revealed that tridecaptin M at a concentration of 16 µg/ml eradicated the bacteria completely in high-density culture. The compound demonstrated desirable post-antibiotic effect after two-hour exposure at MIC concentration. We also observed the reversal of resistance to this class of antibiotics in the presence of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazine (CCCP). Altogether, the study demonstrated that tridecaptins are an excellent drug candidate against drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Future studies are required to design a superior tridecaptin by investigating the interactions of different natural variants with the target.