Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 2002-09-01

An investigation of the ionophoric characteristics of destruxin A.

Maria Hinaje, Martyn Ford, Lee Banting, Steve Arkle, Bhupinder Khambay

Index: Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 405(1) , 73-77, (2002)

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Abstract

Destruxin A, a cyclohexadepsipeptide related to the enniatins and beauvericin, exhibits ionophoric properties. Calcium ion mobilization across liposomal membrane barriers, for example, has been demonstrated using the calcium ion-sensitive dyes Arsenazo III and Fura-2. Initial molecular mechanics/molecular dynamics calculations indicate the potential for destruxin A to form a coordination complex with calcium in which the divalent cation is bound at the center of a sandwich formed by two molecules of destruxin A. This novel calcium ion binding may help explain the diverse biological effects exhibited by the destruxins.