Solvent-induced β-hairpin to helix conformational transition in a designed peptide

An octapeptide containing a central Aib-Gly- segment capable of adopting β-turn conformations compatible with both hairpin (βII' or βI′) and helical (βI) structures has been designed. The effect of solvent on the conformation of the peptide Boc-Leu-Val-Val-Aib-Gly-Leu-Val-Val-OMe (VIII; Boc: t-butyloxycarbonyl; OMe: methyl ester) has been investigated by NMR and CD spectroscopy. Peptide VIII adopts a well-defined β-hairpin conformation in solvents capable of hydrogen bonding like (CD3)2SO and CD3OH. In solvents that have a lower tendency to interact with backbone peptide groups, like CDCl3 and CD3CN, helical conformations predominate. Nuclear Overhauser effects between the backbone protons and solvent shielding of NH groups involved in cross-strand hydrogen bonding, backbone chemical shifts, and vicinal coupling constants provide further support for the conformational assignments in different solvents. Truncated peptides Boc-Val-Val-Aib-Gly-Leu-Val-Val-OMe (VII), Boc-Val-Val-Aib-Gly-Leu-Val-OMe (VI), and Boc-Val-Aib-Gly-Leu-OMe (IV) were studied in CDCl3 and (CD3)2SO by 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Peptides IV and VI show no evidence for hairpin conformation in both the solvents. The three truncated peptides show a well-defined helical conformation in CDCl3. In (CD3)2SO, peptide VII adopts a β-hairpin conformation. The results establish that peptides may be designed, which are poised to undergo a dramatic conformational transition

Insertion of methylene units into the turn segment of designed β-hairpin peptides

The effect of insertion of methylene groups into the turn segment of β-hairpin peptides has been investigated in the model sequence Boc-Leu-Val-Val-DPro-δ-Ava-Leu-Val-Val-OMe. This sequence is related to the previously well-characterized model β-hairpin octapeptide, Boc-Leu-Val-Val-DPro-Gly-Leu-Val-Val-OMe. Replacement of Gly by δ-Ava (δ-aminovaleric acid) formally corresponds to expansion of the turn segment from a two-residue loop to a three-residue loop. Backbone proton chemical shifts, vicinal coupling constants, and circular dichroism spectra for the two peptides are virtually indistinguishable. Nuclear Overhauser effects corresponding to short cross-strand interproton distances confirm that the registry of the β-hairpin structure is maintained in the δ-Ava peptide. Restrained molecular dynamics simulations, using experimental constraints, yield two structural families that are consistent with the NOE data. Both families correspond to β-hairpin conformations and differ only in the backbone torsion angles at the δ-Ava residue

Properties and structure-activity studies of cyclic beta-hairpin peptidomimetics based on the cationic antimicrobial peptide protegrin I

The properties and structure-activity relationships (SAR) of a macrocyclic analogue of porcine protegrin I (PG-I) have been investigated. The lead compound, having the sequence cyclo-(-Leu-Arg-Leu-Lys-Lys-Arg-Arg-Trp-Lys-Tyr-Arg-Val-d-Pro-Pro-), shows antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, but a much lower haemolytic activity and a much reduced ability to induce dye release from phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylglycerol liposomes, when compared to PG-I. The enantiomeric form of the lead peptide shows comparable antimicrobial activity, a property shared with other cationic antimicrobial peptides acting on cell membranes. SAR studies involving the synthesis and biological profiling of over 100 single site substituted analogues, showed that the antimicrobial activity was tolerant to a large number of the substitutions tested. Some analogues showed slightly improved antimicrobial activities (2-4-fold lowering of MICs), whereas other substitutions caused large increases in haemolytic activity on human red blood cells

Eggshell matrix protein mimics: Designer peptides to induce the nucleation of calcite crystal aggregates in solution

10.1021/bm034101bBiomacromolecules451321-1326BOMA