Ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate: an attractive solvent for native chemical ligation of peptides

The ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C₂mim][OAc]) was successfully used as alternative solvent for native chemical ligation of peptide fragments to produce model peptide LYRAXCRANK (X = G, A, L, N, Q, K, and F). The commonly used buffer system including thiol additives such as thiophenol and benzyl mercaptan can be replaced by the nontoxic ionic liquid [C₂mim][OAc]. In addition to improving the solubility of the peptides in [C₂mim][OAc], yields and rates of the ligation reactions were found to be efficiently enhanced.     

Analysis of monoclonal antibody by a novel CE‐UV/MALDI‐MS interface

mAbs are highly complex proteins that present a wide range of microheterogeneity that requires multiple analytical methods for full structure assessment and quality control. As a consequence, the characterization of mAbs on different levels is particularly product‐ and time‐consuming. CE‐MS couplings, especially to MALDI, appear really attractive methods for the characterization of biological samples. In this work, we report the last instrumental development and performance of the first totally automated off‐line CE‐UV/MALDI‐MS/MS. This interface is based on the removal of the original UV cell of the CE apparatus, modification of the spotting device geometry, and creation of an integrated delivery matrix system. The performance of the method was evaluated with separation of five intact proteins and a tryptic digest mixture of nine proteins. Intact protein application shows the acquisition of electropherograms with high resolution and high repeatability. In the peptide mapping approach, a total number of 154 unique identified peptides were characterized using MS/MS spectra corresponding to average sequence coverage of 64.1%. Comparison with NanoLC/MALDI‐MS/MS showed complementarity at the peptide level with an increase of 42% when using CE/MALDI‐MS coupling. Finally, this work represents the first analysis of intact mAb charge variants by CZE using an MS detection. Moreover, using a peptide mapping approach CE‐UV/MALDI‐MS/MS fragmentation allowed 100% sequence coverage of the light chain and 92% of the heavy chain, and the separation of four major glycosylated peptides and their structural characterization.     

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.     

Specific ion effects on the electrophoretic mobility of small,highly charged peptides: A modeling study

In this work, we use coarse‐grained modeling to study the free solution electrophoretic mobility of small highly charged peptides (lysine, arginine, and short oligos thereof (up to nonapeptides)) in NaCl and Na₂SO₄ aqueous solutions at neutral pH and room temperature. The experimental data are taken from the literature. A bead modeling methodology that treats the electrostatics at the level of the nonlinear Poisson Boltzmann equation developed previously in our laboratory is able to account for the mobility of all peptides in NaCl, but not Na₂SO₄. The peptide mobilities in Na₂SO₄ can be accounted for by including sulfate binding in the model and this is proposed as one possible explanation for the discrepancy. Oligo arginine peptides bind more sulfate than oligo lysines and sulfate binding increases with the oligo length.     

Capillary electrophoresis separation of peptide diastereomers that contain methionine sulfoxide by dual cyclodextrin‐crown ether systems†

A dual‐selector system employing achiral crown ethers in combination with cyclodextrins has been developed for the separation of peptide diastereomers that contain methionine sulfoxide. The combinations of the crown ethers 15‐crown‐5, 18‐crown‐6, Kryptofix® 21 and Kryptofix® 22 and β‐cyclodextrin, carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, and sulfated β‐cyclodextrin were screened at pH 2.5 and pH 8.0 using a 40/50.2 cm, 50 μm id fused‐silica capillary and a separation voltage of 25 kV. No diastereomer separation was observed in the sole presence of crown ethers, while only sulfated β‐cyclodextrin was able to resolve some peptide diastereomers at pH 8.0. Depending on the amino acid sequence of the peptide and the applied cyclodextrin, the addition of crown ethers, especially the Krpytofix® diaza‐crown ethers, resulted in significantly enhanced chiral recognition. Keeping one selector of the dual system constant, increasing concentrations of the second selector resulted in increased peak resolution and analyte migration time for peptide‐crown ether‐cyclodextrin combinations. The simultaneous diastereomer separation of three structurally related peptides was achieved using the dual selector system.     

Research Progress of Regulation of Driving Forces in Short Peptide Supramolecular Self-Assembly北大核心CSCD

Some short peptides can spontaneously self-assemble into various nanostructures via the synergistic driving forces of non-covalent interactions. These non-covalent interactions,including electrostatic interaction,hydrogen bonding,aromatic interactions and other non-covalent interactions,are usually highly coupled together. Through rational sequence design and proper modification of short peptide molecules,the driving forces could be regulated purposively,and the nanostructures and morphologies of the self-assemblies could be controlled accordingly,and thus so as to achieve the fabrication of peptide-based supramolecular biomaterials and develop their functions. In this paper,the effects of hydrogen bonding,π-π stacking, electrostatic interaction,hydrophobic interaction,metal ion coordination and chiral center on the self-assembly behavior of peptide self-assembly have been reviewed. The driving force regulation strategies, including sequence design,pH and concentration adjustment and metal ion coordination,and the resulted nanostructures have also been discussed. We also make the outlooks on the development of peptide-based supramolecular biomaterials with specific functions in biomedicines and biocatalysis. © 2022, Science Press (China). All rights reserved.     

Contemporary Approaches to α,β-Dehydroamino Acid Chemical Modifications

As one of the most common unnatural amino acids(uAAs), α, β-dehydroamino acids(α,β-dhAAs) can be found in various ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides(RiPPs) and other naturally occurring peptides. In recent years, novel reactions for α,β-dhAA modification continue to emerge. Due to their unique electrophilicity different from 20 natural amino acids, α,β-dhAAs, especially dehydroalanine(Dha), have become powerful tools for site-selective protein modification. In this review, we mainly focus on the latest research progress of C-C and C-heteroatom(C-X, X=S, N, Se, Si, P, B) bond formation methods based on α,β-dhAAs in the past five years. Particularly, we pay much attention to the α,β-dhAA derivatization methodologies used in the late-stage modification for natural peptides and proteins. In addition, we also focus on the downstream functionalization and therapeutic biologic applications of these modifications.     

同型二聚体肽模型的二维红外光谱

利用一个同型二聚体模型,甲酰胺二聚体,模拟一对肽基团.用量子化学从头计算考察了二聚体中酰胺-I带振动模式之间的振动耦合及其在空间的行为. 研究发现C=O伸缩振动耦合以静电作用为主,耦合有效距离能超过10 oA. 一维和二维红外光谱的激子模拟计算表明,耦合常数的空间依赖性能够清楚地表现在光谱特征中. 这些结果意味着多肽中C=O伸缩振动模式能够在很远的距离相互耦合并产生振动态的离域化.     

In-bone protein digestion followed by LC-MS/MS peptide analysis as a new way towards the routine proteomic characterization of human maxillary and mandibular bone tissue in oral surgery

Proteomic characterization of alveolar bones in oral surgery represents an analytical challenge due to their insoluble character. The implementation of a straightforward technique could lead to the routine use of proteomics in this field. This work thus developed a simple technique for the characterization of bone tissue for human maxillary and mandibular bones. It is based on the direct in-bone tryptic digestion of proteins in both healthy and pathological human maxillary and mandibular bone samples. The released peptides were then identified by the LC-MS/MS. Using this approach, a total of 1120 proteins were identified in the maxillary bone and 1151 proteins in the mandibular bone. The subsequent partial least squares–discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) of protein data made it possible to reach 100% discrimination between the samples of healthy alveolar bones and those of the bone tissue surrounding the inflammatory focus. These results indicate that the in-bone protein digestion followed by the LC-MS/MS and subsequent statistical analysis can provide a deeper insight into the field of oral surgery at the molecular level. Furthermore, it could also have a diagnostic potential in the differentiation between the proteomic patterns of healthy and pathological alveolar bone tissue. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD026775.