NMR model structure of the antimicrobial peptide maximin 3

Maximin 3 is a 27-residue-long cationic antimicrobial peptide found in the skin secretion and brain of the Chinese red-belly toad Bombina maxima. The peptide is of biological interest as it possesses anti-HIV activity, not found in the other maximin peptides, in addition to antimicrobial, antitumor and spermicidal activities. The three-dimensional structure of maximin 3 was obtained in a 50/50% water/2,2,2-trifluoroethanol-d₃ mixture using two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. Maximin 3 was found to adopt an α-helical structure from residue G1 to A22, and a coil structure with a helical propensity in the C-terminal tail. The peptide is amphipathic, showing a clear separation between polar and hydrophobic residues. Interactions with sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles, a widely used bacterial membrane-mimicking environment, were modeled using molecular dynamics simulations. The peptide maintained an α-helical conformation, occasionally displaying a flexibility around residues G9 and G16, which is likely responsible for the peptide's low haemolytic activity. It is found to preferentially adopt a position parallel to the micellar surface, establishing a number of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions with it.