An efficient peptide ligation using azido-protected peptides via the thioester method

Azido-protected Fmoc-Lys-OH (Fmoc-Lys(N₃)-OH) was synthesized from Fmoc-Lys-OH by the copper(II)-catalyzed diazo transfer method, and introduced to a peptide by the ordinary Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis. This azido peptide could be condensed with a peptide thioester by the Ag⁺-free thioester method without any significant side reactions. The azido group was easily reduced to an amino group by Zn powder after peptide condensation.     

An N-protection free ligation of the peptide thioester and the peptide with an N-alkoxy- or N-aryloxyamino group at its N-terminus

Peptides with an N-alkoxy or N-aryloxy amino acid at their N-terminus were synthesized and successfully ligated with a peptide thioester by silver ion activation under a slightly acidic condition without requiring protection of the side chain amino groups. The N-methoxy group was easily cleaved by the SmI₂ reduction in CH₃OH aq. to obtain the desired peptide with a native peptide bond. This method was successfully applied to the synthesis of the human atrial natriuretic peptide showing the efficiency of the novel ligation.     

N-methyl-phenacyloxycarbamidomethyl (Pocam) group: a novel thiol protecting group for solid-phase peptide synthesis and peptide condensation reactions

In the so-called thioester method for the condensation of peptide segments, protecting groups for amino and thiol groups are required for chemoselective ligation. In this study, we developed a novel thiol protecting group, N-methyl-phenacyloxycarbamidomethyl (Pocam). We used it for protection of cysteine side chains, and synthesized Pocam-containing peptides and peptide thioesters. These were condensed by the thioester method. After the condensation reaction, Pocam groups were cleaved by Zn/AcOH treatment. At the same time, the azido group, which was used for the protection of lysine side chains, was also converted to an amino group, demonstrating that this protecting group strategy simplified the deprotecting reaction after the peptide condensation reaction to only one step.     

Enhancement in the rate of conversion of peptide Cys-Pro esters to peptide thioesters by structural modification

We previously reported that the peptide containing a Cys-Pro ester (CPE) moiety is spontaneously transformed into a peptide thioester via an N to S acyl shift followed by diketopiperazine formation. In an attempt to identify more reactive structures for the formation of a peptide thioester, we modified the CPE structure, in which the Pro residue in the CPE moiety was replaced with N-substituted glycine derivatives. These peptides were transformed into a peptide thioester more rapidly. Alternatively, the addition of an amino acid residue at the C-terminus of the CPE moiety also accelerated thioester formation.     

Sequential peptide chemical ligation by the thioester method and extended chemical ligation

The sequential chemical ligation of peptide thioesters by a combination of the thioester method and extended chemical ligation using a photoremovable auxiliary, 2-mercapto-1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl group, is described. The thiazolidine ring was used as a protecting group for the N-terminal 1,2-aminoethanethiol moiety of the auxiliary in the middle peptide thioester. After the first thioester coupling, the thiazolidine ring was opened by treatment with O-methylhydroxylamine. Second coupling by extended chemical ligation followed by UV irradiation gave the target polypeptide.     

Theoretical Analysis of the Detailed Mechanism of Native Chemical Ligation Reactions

The method of native chemical ligation between an unprotected peptide α‐thioester and an N‐terminal cysteine–peptide to give a native peptide in aqueous solution is one of the most effective peptide ligation methods. In this work, a systematic theoretical study was carried out to fully understand the detailed mechanism of ligation. It was found that for the conventional native chemical ligation reaction between a peptide thioalkyl ester and a cysteine in combination with an added aryl thiol as catalyst, both the thiol‐thioester exchange step and the transthioesterification step proceed by an anionic concerted S_N2 displacement mechanism, whereas the intramolecular rearrangement proceeds by an addition–elimination mechanism, and the rate‐limiting step is the thiol‐thioester exchange step. The theoretical method was then extended to study the detailed mechanism of the auxiliary‐mediated peptide ligation between a peptide thiophenyl ester and an N‐2‐mercaptobenzyl peptide in which both the thiol‐thioester exchange step and intramolecular acyl‐transfer step proceed by a concerted S_N2‐type displacement mechanism. The energy barrier of the thiol‐thioester exchange step depends on the side‐chain steric hindrance of the C‐terminal amino acid, whereas that of the acyl‐transfer step depends on the side‐chain steric hindrance of the N‐terminal amino acid.     

The first synthesis of peptide thioester carrying N-linked core pentasaccharide through modified Fmoc thioester preparation: synthesis of an N-glycosylated Ig domain of emmprin

Peptide thioester carrying N-linked core pentasaccharide was prepared by the Fmoc solid-phase method with a combination of the benzyl-protection strategy at the carbohydrate portion. The obtained peptide thioester was successfully used for the synthesis of the first Ig domain of emmprin composed of 61 amino acid residues.     

Synthesis of the sphingolipid activator protein, saposin C, using an azido-protected O-acyl isopeptide as an aggregation-disrupting element

In order to achieve an efficient synthesis of highly hydrophobic proteins by the native chemical ligation (NCL) reaction, we examined to incorporate the O-acyl isopeptide method, which is known to improve the solubility of the segment, to the NCL reaction: a peptide thioester having O-acyl isopeptide structures is prepared by the Boc mode solid-phase method using an azido group as a protecting group for the isopeptide site, and then ligated with C-terminal segment with an in situ reduction of the azido group followed by an O- to N-acyl shift. This method was successfully applied to the synthesis of the sphingolipid activator protein, saposin C.     

The potential of N-alkoxymethyl groups as peptide backbone protectants

In this study, the potential of N-alkoxymethyl groups as protectants for the peptide backbone has been investigated. These groups were found to be compatible with the standard conditions of Fmoc/^tBu SPPS, and can be cleaved off from the peptide backbone by acids. Thus, backbone N-alkoxymethyl groups may be useful to prevent undesired side-reactions and/or interchain aggregation during peptide elongation on the solid-phase. However, the main issue for their application as protecting groups is the difficulty to incorporate them into the peptide backbone.     

The use of a cysteinyl prolyl ester (CPE) autoactivating unit in peptide ligation reactions

A peptide containing a cysteinyl prolyl ester (CPE) moiety at the C-terminus (CPE peptide) is spontaneously transformed into a diketopiperazine thioester via an intramolecular N-S acyl shift reaction, followed by diketopiperazine formation. The CPE peptide can be ligated with a Cys-peptide in a one-pot procedure. The peptide diketopiperazine thioester can also be transformed into a peptide thioester by intermolecular thiol-thioester exchange with external thiol compounds such as sodium mercaptoethanesulfonate. Since CPE peptides can be prepared by standard Fmoc solid-phase synthesis, it is a versatile alternative to the peptide thioester, providing a flexible ligation strategy that promises to be useful in polypeptide synthesis.     

Solid phase insertion of diamines into peptide chains

Diamines derived from naturally occurring aminoacids were inserted into peptide chains by the reaction of the monophthaloyl diamines with amino acid 1-benzotriazolyl esters, bound through their amino functions onto trityl-type resins. The phthaloyl group was removed and peptide chains using N-Fmoc amino acids, were assembled on the liberated amino function. The peptidyl diamides obtained, were cleaved from the resins with ^tBu-side chain protection remaining intact, or fully deprotected.     

N-Alkyl cysteine-assisted thioesterification of peptides

A new method for the preparation of peptide thioester by the post-solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) approach was developed. A series of N-alkyl cysteine derivatives were prepared and used as the C-terminus residue of the peptides prepared by the Fmoc SPPS. The synthetic peptides released from resin by TFA were readily converted to the peptide thioester in aqueous 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) without significant side reactions.     

Synthesis of Heavily Glycosylated Peptide αThioester

Erythropoietin (EPO) needs to be heavily glycosylated to exhibit its bioactivity in vivo. In order to synthesize heavily glycosylated EPO analogues, corresponding glycosylated peptide ^αthioesters are essential to prepare glycosylated whole EPO peptide backbones through native chemical ligation. After construction of the peptide ^αthioester corresponding to the 1–32 amino acid sequence in EPO, we aimed to incorporate three complex-type biantennary sialyloligosaccharides to this peptide ^αthioester by the haloacetamide method. The reaction afforded the desired heavily glycosylated peptide ^αthioester.     

Introduction of the Aib-Pro unit into peptides by means of the ‘azirine/oxazolone method’ on solid phase

A method for the direct introduction of Aib-Pro into peptides on solid phase was developed. The Aib-Pro unit was introduced by means of the ‘azirine/oxazolone method’ using allyl N-(2,2-dimethyl-2H-azirin-3-yl)-l-prolinate as the synthon. After the reaction of the resin-bound amino or peptide acid with allyl N-(2,2-dimethyl-2H-azirin-3-yl)-l-prolinate, the allyl protecting group of the resulting extended peptide could be removed by a mild Pd⁰-promoted procedure. Cleavage of the peptide from the resin was performed with UV light at 352 nm and yielded C-terminal protected peptides. The method found a successful application in the syntheses of different Aib-Pro containing peptaibol segments. Furthermore, a protected derivative of the peptide antibiotic Trichovirin I 1B was prepared by segment condensation.     

Peptide thioester formation using standard Fmoc-chemistry

A highly efficient and simple Fmoc-based preparation of peptide ^αthioesters is presented. After Fmoc/t-butyl solid-phase synthesis on 2-chlorotrityl resin the C-terminal carboxylic group of the protected peptide is directly converted to the corresponding thioester. The method leads to very high yields, shows a low level of epimerization and can be easily applied also for the preparation of long peptide ^αthioesters as demonstrated for the 41 amino acid N-terminal fragment of pro-neuropeptide Y (proNPY 1-40).     

Facile synthesis of N-(benzyl, methyl)-lysine as a building block for site-specifically lysine monomethylated peptides

Facile, mild and efficient one-pot preparation of N^α-Fmoc-N^ε-(benzyl, methyl)-lysine, a building block for monomethylated peptide synthesis, was described. This building block was proved to be efficient for the synthesis of site-specifically monomethylated peptide. Benzyl group, which was incorporated by reductive benzylation and removed via catalytic hydrogenolysis, served as an excellent protecting group.     

Biochemical characterization of peptidyl carrier protein (PCP), the thiolation domain of multifunctional peptide synthetases

Background: A structurally diverse group of bioactive peptides is synthesized by peptide synthetases which act as templates for a growing peptide chain, attached to the enzyme via a thloester bond. The protein templates are composed of distinctive substrate-activating modules, whose order dictates the primary structure of the corresponding peptide product. Each module contains defined domains that catalyze adenylation, thioester and peptide bond formation, as well as substrate modifications. To show that a putative thiolation domain (PCP) is involved in covalent binding and transfer of amino aryl residues during non-ribosomal peptide synthesis, we have cloned and biochemically characterized that region of tyrocidine synthetase 1, TycA.Results: The 327-bp gene fragment encoding PCP was cloned using its homology to the genes for the acyl carrier proteins of fatty acid and polyketide biosynthesis. The protein was expressed as a His₆, fusion protein, and purified in a single step by affinity chromatography. Incorporation of β-[³H]alanine, a precursor of coenzyme A, demonstrated the modification of PCP with the cofactor 4′-phosphopantetheine. When an adenylation domain is present to supply the amino adenylate moiety, PCP can be acylated in vitro.Conclusions: PCP can bind covalently to the cofactor phosphopantetheine and can subsequently be acylated, strongly supporting the multiple carrier model of non-ribosomal peptide synthesis. The adenylation and thiolation domains can each act as independent multifunctional enzymes, further confirming the modular structure of peptide synthees, and can also perform sequential steps in trans, as do multienzyme complexes.     

Protection of histidine in peptide synthesis: A Reassessment of the trityl group

The trityl (Trt) group is ideally suited for the side-chain protection of His in peptide syntheses, in combination with 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) in N^α- and protecting groups cleavable by mild acidolysis in other positions of the peptide. 2,4,5-trichlorophenyl (Tcp)- and pentafluorophenyl (Pfp)-esters of Fmoc-His(Trt)-OH and Trt-His(Trt)-OH are strongly activated, but stable compounds. N^α-Trt is selectively removable in the presence of N^Im-Trt.     

N-Nosyl-α-amino acids in solution phase peptide synthesis

A highly efficient and practical synthesis of peptides in solution phase has been developed. The procedure is based on the use of p-nitrobenzenesulfonyl (nosyl) group for the protection of the amino function of α-amino acids. Every step of the procedure, protection of the amino function by the nosyl group, formation of the peptide bond, and removal of the sulfonamide group, is characterized by high yields and excellent purity of the final products. The described strategy allows the preparation of short peptide sequences keeping the chiral integrity of amino acid precursors. Compatibility of nosyl group with the side-chain protecting groups used in Fmoc-based strategy is demonstrated. The method here presented is an alternative strategy that could provide advantages for future peptide synthesis.     

Synthesis of peptide conjugated chelator oligomers for endoradiotherapy and MRT imaging

The clinical impact of peptides that accumulate in tumours is determined by the number of particle emitting or paramagnetic isotopes attached. Therefore, attempts should be made to increase the cargo capacity of the peptide carriers. A general synthetic route to conjugates is described that allows insertion of multiple DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N′,N″,N^?,N?-tetraacetic acid) moieties at the N-terminal end of the cyclic peptide Tyr³-octreotate. The peptide moiety was assembled by Fmoc solid phase synthesis and oxidised to form the cyclic disulfide. Subsequently, the required number of DOTA-tris tert-butyl ester chelating units were attached to the side chains of lysines. The conjugates were purified and thoroughly studied by RP-HPLC, size exclusion HPLC and mass spectrometry. The labelling of the novel conjugates and of DOTA⁰-Tyr³-octreotate (DOTATATE) was exemplified for ⁹⁰Y and ¹¹¹In. The methodology described here allows the versatile introduction of multiple DOTA chelates into a peptide sequence, thus, introducing a new scope to the receptor affine peptides that can be synthesised using solid phase synthesis.