Model peptide studies of Ag+ binding sites from the silver resistance protein SilE

Using model peptides, each of the nine MX2H or HXnM (n = 1, 2) motifs of the silver resistance protein SilE has been shown to coordinate to one Ag+ ion by its histidine and methionine residues with Kd in the μM range. This suggests an Ag+ buffering role for SilE in the case of high Ag+ overload

Funnel complexes with CoII and NiII: New probes into the biomimetic coordination ability of the calix[6]arene-based tris(imidazole) system

cited By 30International audienceThe coordination properties of the calix[6]arene-based tris-(imidazole) ligand X6Me3Imme3 were further explored with CoII and NiII. This imidazole system stabilizes tetrahedral mononuclear CoII complexes with an exchangeable fourth exogenous ligand (water, alcohol, amide) located at the heart of the hydrophobic calixarene cavity. With a weak donor ligand such as a nitrile, both four-coordinate tetrahedral and five-coordinate trigonal bipyramidal complexes were obtained. The latter contains a second nitrile molecule trans to the included guest nitrile. These complexes were characterized in solution as well as in the solid state. The NiII complexes are square-based pyramidal five-coordinate edifices with a guest nitrile inside the cavity and a water molecule outside. A comparison with previously described ZnII and CuII complexes emphasizes the flexibility of this ligand. A comparison with carbonic anhydrase, a mononuclear zinc enzyme with a tris(histidine) coordination core, shows that X6Me 3Imme3 displays many structural features of this enzyme except for the cis coordination of the exogenous ligands. © Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004

Supramolecular control of an organic radical coupled to a metal ion embedded at the entrance of a hydrophobic cavity

cited By 5International audienceA novel N3ArO-calix[6]arene-based system is presented. It allows the formation of an aryloxy radical bound to a metal ion (CuII or ZnII) that presents a free coordination site in a concave cavity. Its oxidative activity appears highly controlled by the supramolecular system hence providing a good model for radical enzymes such as Galactose oxidase. © 2003 The Royal Society of Chemistry

Ratiometric Zinc Luminescent Probes Based on Zinc Finger Peptide Conjugated to Lanthanides Complexes

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Influence of amino acid sequence in a peptidic Cu+-responsive luminescent probe inspired by the copper chaperone CusF.

International audienceCopper(i) is a soft metal ion that plays an essential role in living organisms and Cu+-responsive probes are required to detect Cu+ ions in physiological conditions and understand its homeostasis as well as the diseases associated with its misregulation. In this article, we describe a series of cyclic peptides, which are structurally related to the copper chaperone CusF, and that behave as Cu+-repsonsive probes. These peptide probes comprise the 16-amino acid loop of CusF cyclized by a β-turn inducer dipeptide and functionalized by a Tb3+ complex for its luminescence properties. The mechanism of luminescence enhancement relies on the modulation of the antenna effect between a tryptophan residue and the Tb3+ ion within the probe when Cu+ forms a cation-π interaction with the tryptophan. Here, we investigate the influence of the amino acid sequence of these cyclic peptides on the copper-induced modulation of Tb3+ emission and show that the rigid β-turn inducer Aib-d-Pro and insertion of the Tb3+ complex close to its tryptophan antenna are required to obtain turn-on Cu+ responsive probes. We also show that the amino acid sequence, especially the number and position of proline residues has a significant impact on metal-induced luminescence enhancement and metal-binding constant of the probes

Supramolecular assembly with calix[6]arene and copper ions - Formation of a novel tetranuclear core exhibiting unusual redox properties and catecholase activity

International audienceThe supramolecular biomimetic chemistry based on calix[6]arene N-ligands has been further explored. A tris(imidazole)CuI complex was treated with 1 mol-equiv. of cuprous ion under dioxygen to produce a tetranuclear cupric species, X-ray structural determination of this novel Cu4 complex revealed that the self-inclusion of an imidazolyl coordinating arm into the hydrophobic calixarene cavity provides the base of coordination for a _ClImCu(OH)2CuIm2₂ assembly. The Cu4 core is maintained in solution and is stable even in a coordinating solvent such as acetonitrile. Magnetic susceptibility measurements evidenced a strong antiferromagnetic coupling in each Cu(OH)2Cu subunit with J = -408 cm-1. The complex displayed catecholase activity in the presence of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol behaving as a four-electron hole with, however, a sluggish Cu4 I → Cu4 II regeneration through O2 autooxidation. Finally, electrochemical studies revealed two oxidative reversible processes that successively gave rise to a _CuIICuIII__Cu2 II_ and a _CuIICuIII₂ mixed-valence species that could be characterized by UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopy, The overall structure and behavior of this tetranuclear complex is reminiscent of multicopper enzymes. © Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2002