HPLC Separation and Characterization of Synthetic and Native Cytochrome C Derived Peptides

Abstract

The use of HPLC for the characterization of peptides used in semisynthesis of cytochrome c is discussed. HPLC provided a convenient method for assessing the purity and structure of the peptides used. HPLC was also useful in monitoring the progress of solid phase peptide synthesis and in purifying the final product.     

The Guanidinium Group in Molecular Recognition: Design and Synthetic Approaches

The guanidinium group is found in many natural products and has been extensively incorporated into various drug designs as well as artificial receptor structures. In this paper we critically review the various synthetic routes to guanidiniums and describe a novel approach that allows the mild formation of multi-substituted derivatives.     

Yamaguchi Esterification in the Synthetic Approaches to Precursors of Epothilone D Analogs

Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry - Coupling of previously synthesized chiral building blocks via Yamaguchi esterification has been studied with the goal of obtaining epothilone D isosteres....     

Native Structure-Based Peptides as Potential Protein–Protein Interaction Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Human ACE2 Receptor

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-strand RNA virus that causes severe respiratory syndrome in humans, which is now referred to as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since December 2019, the new pathogen has rapidly spread globally, with over 65 million cases reported to the beginning of December 2020, including over 1.5 million deaths. Unfortunately, currently, there is no specific and effective treatment for COVID-19. As SARS-CoV-2 relies on its spike proteins (S) to bind to a host cell-surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2(ACE2), and this interaction is proved to be responsible for entering a virus into host cells, it makes an ideal target for antiviral drug development. In this work, we design three very short peptides based on the ACE2 sequence/structure fragments, which may effectively bind to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S protein and may, in turn, disrupt the important virus-host protein–protein interactions, blocking early steps of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Two of our peptides bind to virus protein with affinity in nanomolar range, and as very short peptides have great potential for drug development.     

抗流感药达菲(Tamiflu)合成纵览

流行性感冒是由流感病毒引起的呼吸道疾病, 传染性很强、对人类健康构成实质性的威胁. 由于流感病毒多变, 临床上用于治疗流感的药物到目前为止仅有“达菲”等有限的几种. 本文将文献中已有报道的“达菲”的合成路线汇总并进行简要的综述.     

Protein Engineering III: Computer Aided Design of Disulfide-Bond Free Cobra Venom Cardiotoxin with a Novel Conformation and Biological Activity from Synthetic Peptides

Using the crystal structure of cobra venom cardiotoxin as a templet, a computer designed peptide with a novel conformation and biological activity has been synthesized chemically. The designed peptide utilized two calcium coordination sites instead of disulfide bridges to hold the conformation. The coordination sites were introduced at the cleft of three β-sheet strands by replacing the residues of Leu-1, Leu-26, Ser-28, Leu-48, and Ser-55 with Glu and using their γ-carboxyl groups as legends. The residues of Cys at positions 3, 14, 21, 38, 42, 53, 54, and 59 of the four disulfide bridges were changed with Gly to remove all the disulfide bonds. Circular dichroism spectra showed that the synthesized peptide has a conformation similar to that of the native cardiotoxin of a defined structure only in aqueous solutions with the presence of calcium ions. Immunoprecipitation assay, using the anti-cardiotoxin V, showed that in the presence of calcium ion the peptide had same cross reaction as that of native cardiotoxin. Hemolysis assay in the presence of calcium ion (150–250 mmol) and phospholipase A₂ showed that the peptide had 65–70% as much cytolytic activity as the native toxin.     

Glycine Substitution Effects on the Supramolecular Morphology and Rigidity of Cell-Adhesive Amphiphilic Peptides

Self-assembling peptides that are capable of adopting β-sheet structures can generate nanofibers that lead to hydrogel formation. Herein, to tune the supramolecular morphologies, mechanical properties, and stimuli responses of the hydrogels, we investigated glycine substitution in a β-sheet-forming amphiphilic peptide. Glycine substitution generally enhances conformational flexibility. Indeed, glycine substitution in an amphiphilic peptide weakened the hydrogels or even inhibited the gelation. However, unexpectedly, glycine substitution at the center of the peptide molecule significantly enhanced the hydrogel stiffness. The central glycine substitution affected the molecular packing and led to twisted β-sheet structures and to nanofiber bundling, which likely led to the stiffened hydrogel. Importantly, the supramolecular structures were accurately predicted by molecular dynamics simulations, demonstrating the helpfulness of these techniques for the identification of self-assembling peptides. The hydrogel formed by the amphiphilic peptide with the central glycine substitution had cell adhesive function, and showed a reversible thermal gel-to-sol transition. Thus, glycine substitution is effective in modulating self-assembling structures, rheological properties, and dynamics of biofunctional self-assembling peptides.     

Synthetic Approaches to Mixed-Metal Heteroleptic Derivatives of Late Transition Metals

The approach based on isomorphous substitution permitted preparation of (Co, Ni)₄(acac)₄(₃–OMe)₄(MeOH)₄(I) via interaction of individual M₄(acac)₄(₃–OMe)₄(MeOH)₄ in toluene/methanol media. The oxidation of I in air in solution in MeOH in the presence of NaOAc and aminoalcohols as catalysts gives Co₂Ni₂-(acac)₄(₃–OMe)₄(OAc)₂(II). The symmetrization reaction between a complex formed by a hard Pearson acid and a soft Pearson base and that formed by a soft acid and a hard base led to CuNi₂(OCOC₂H₅)₃(OR^N)₃-(R^NOH)(III) and Ni(Ni_0.25Cu_0.75)₂(₃–OH)(₂–OAc)(OAc)₂(₂, ²-OR^N)₃(²-R^NOH)(IV) R^N = CH(CH₃)-CH₂NMe₂ via interaction of Ni(OR^N)₂ with copper propionate and copper acetate hydrate respectively in hydrocarbon media.     

Functional Molecular Thin Films: Topological Templates for the Chemoselective Ligation of Antigenic Peptides to Self-Assembled Monolayers

The combination of self-assembly and regioselective surface chemistry has made it possible to immobilize peptide recognition sites 1 on a template attached to a gold surface. Each of the seven individual reaction steps, including the final functional biomolecular recognition, was controlled in situ with surface-sensitive detection techniques. The presented strategy is of general importance for the formation of complex supramolecular structures with biologically interesting functionalities at the interfaces.     

Synthetic studies of didemnins. II. Approaches to statine diastereomers

A short and efficient route to (3S,4R)-statine has been developed in connection with synthetic studies toward didemnins A,B and C.     

Tailor-Made Amino Acids in Pharmaceutical Industry: Synthetic Approaches to Aza-Tryptophan Derivatives

Over the recent years there has been a noticeable upsurge of interest in aza-analogs of tryptophan which are isosteric to the latter and found numerous applications in medicinal, bioorganic chemistry, and peptide research. In the present review article, five aza-tryptophan derivatives are profiled, including aza-substitution in the positions 2, on the five-membered ring, as well as in positions 4, 5, 6, and 7 on the six-membered ring. A detailed and comprehensive literature overview of the synthetic methods for the preparation of these aza-tryptophans is presented and general facets of the biological properties and most promising applications are discussed.     

Synthetic Approaches to Combine the Versatility of the Thiol Chemistry with the Degradability of Aliphatic Polyesters

Abstract

Thiol chemistry is an efficient tool to manipulate the microstructure of aliphatic polyesters and open the way to different applications. Synthetic strategies that aim to synthesize thiol-functionalized aliphatic polyesters are reviewed herein. The introduction of thiol-editable groups on aliphatic polyesters can occur both at chain ends and along the chains, enabling diverse modifications of the polymeric chains and imparting new properties and functions. The use of thiol chemistry for postpolymerization modification of this class of polymers and the (co)polymerizations of monomers bearing thiol groups has also been described herein.     

Molecular Tools for the Study of ADP-Ribosylation: A Unified and Versatile Method to Synthesise Native Mono-ADP-Ribosylated Peptides

ADP-ribosylation (ADPr), as a post-translational modification, plays a crucial role in DNA-repair, immunity and many other cellular and physiological processes. Serine is the main acceptor for ADPr in DNA damage response, whereas the physiological impact of less common ADPr-modifications of cysteine and threonine side chains is less clear. Generally, gaining molecular insights into ADPr recognition and turn-over is hampered by the availability of homogeneous, ADP-ribosylated material, such as mono-ADP-ribosylated (MARylated) peptides. Here, a new and efficient solid-phase strategy for the synthesis of Ser-, Thr- and Cys-MARylated peptides is described. ADP-ribosylated cysteine, apart from being a native post-translational modification in its own right, proved to be suitable as a stabile bioisostere for ADP-ribosylated serine making it a useful tool to further biochemical research on serine ADP-ribosylation. In addition, it was discovered that the Streptococcus pyogenes encoded protein, SpyMacroD, acts as a Cys-(ADP-ribosyl) hydrolase.     

Mimicking/Extracting Structure and Functions of Natural Products: Synthetic Approaches that Address Unexplored Needs in Chemical Biology

Natural products are often attractive and challenging targets for synthetic chemists, and many have interesting biological activities. However, synthetic chemists need to be more than simply suppliers of compounds to biologists. Therefore, we have been seeking ways to actively apply organic synthetic methods to chemical biology studies of natural products and their activities. In this personal review, I would like to introduce our work on the development of new biologically active compounds inspired by, or extracted from, the structures of natural products, focusing on enhancement of functional activity and specificity and overcoming various drawbacks of the parent natural products.     

蛋白质结构的FT-IR研究进展

随着蛋白质使用领域的增加,迫切需要知道它在不同环境中的结构特征及生物活性。目前,测定蛋白质结构的方法很多,包括X射线衍射技术、圆二色光谱(CD)、质谱、FT-IR等。FT-IR(傅立叶变换光谱)法不仅能够测定不同环境中的蛋白质结构及生物活性,而且能够测定其二级结构的相对含量。本文简要综述FT-IR技术用于蛋白质结构的研究进展。