Dodecadepsipeptide, cyclic, valinomycin

For examfde, cyclic dodecadepsipeptide antibiotic valinomycin (18) is represented as Cyclo D-Val-Lac-Val-D-ifyv)3 where Lac and Hyv re esent lactic acid and a-oxyisobutyric add, re ctively. ValinoiiQrcin selectively binds K, when it acts as an antibiotic. As shown in Fig. 31, valinomycin takes a bracelet structure and has a cavity in the middle with a diameter of 6—7A. Sizes of hydrated cations are 4.5—5.0 A for K, Rb, and Cs and 5.5—7.4 A for Na and Li . It is understandable that the cavity fits in with K. Carbonyl groups are distributed along the inside wall of the cavity which is necessarily polar. Alifdiatic side chains form the outside wall of the bracelet whidi is necessarily nonpolar. Valinomycin binds in the hydro-0ulic interior of the cavity and transports the ion across the lipid bilayer of the cell... 

Various lipophilic natural product antibiotics that have a hydrophobic exterior and a shielded hydrophilic interior capable of binding and transporting ions are known as ionophores. The three ionophores that are most commonly used as probes of ion transport across mitochondrial membranes are the Streptomyces cyclic dodecadepsipeptide valinomycin (57), gramicidin pentadecapeptides (e.g., valine-gramicidin A,... 

Valinomycin A cyclic dodecadepsipeptide whose antibiotic activity is due to its abihty to transport cations, preferentially potassium ions, across bacterial cell membranes, thus disturbing the membrane potential. 

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