Rearrangement of Thiodepsipeptides by S → N Acyl Shift Delivers Homodetic Autoinducing Peptides

Group behavior in many bacteria relies on chemically induced communication called quorum sensing (QS), which plays important roles in the regulation of colonization, biofilm formation, and virulence. In Gram-positive bacteria, QS is often mediated by cyclic ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs). In staphylococci, for example, most of these so-called autoinducing peptides (AIPs) contain a conserved thiolactone functionality, which has also been predicted to constitute a structural feature of AIPs from other genera. Here, we show that pentameric AIPs from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Clostridium perf ringens, and Listeria monocytogenes that were previously presumed to be thiolactone-containing structures readily rearrange to become homodetic cyclopeptides. This finding has implications for the developing understanding of cross-species and potential cross-genus communication of bacteria and may help guide the discovery of peptide ligands to perturb their function.

Automated summary

Research has shown that pentameric AIPs presumed to contain thiolactone structures can readily rearrange into homodetic cyclopeptides, leading to implications for a better understanding of cross-species communication in bacteria and potentially guiding the discovery of peptide ligands to disrupt their function.