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Peptides with a regular sequence of enantiomeric residues (L and D) along the chain have received considerable attention because of their accessibility to unique conformations and because they are model compounds for the naturally occurring peptide gramicidin A, which shows monovalent cation selective transmembrane transport. The solid-state structure of the linear hexapeptide t-Boc-(D-alle-L-Ile)3-OMe has been determined by X-ray diffraction techniques and refined to a final R factor of 0.068. The molecule shows a bent U-shaped conformation stabilized by three intramolecular H-bonds of the N-H...O = C type: a type II beta-bend (4-->1 bend or C10 ring structure) with L-Ile2 and D-aIle3 at positions 2 and 3 of the bend, an alpha-turn (5-->1 bend or C13 ring structure) and a 1-->5 bend or C17 ring structure. The first two 10-membered and 13-membered bends are enclosed in the latter 17-membered hydrogen-bonded ring structure. This structural motif is common to hepta- and octa-peptide cyclic molecules, showing that ring closure is not required to achieve a particular topology in the molecular design of specific bended conformations.

The two Z-L-Ala-DL-(alpha Me)Trp-NH2 diastereomeric dipeptides were synthesized from (Z-L-Ala)2(O) and H-DL-(alpha Me)Trp-NH2. The latter racemate, prepared by phase-transfer catalyzed alkylation of the N alpha-benzylidene derivative of alanine amide followed by acidic hydrolysis of the resulting Schiff base, was characterized by X-ray diffraction. The molecular and crystal structure of Z-L-Ala-L-(alpha Me)Trp-NH2, separated from its diastereomer by silica-gel column chromatography, was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Both independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of the dipeptide adopt a type-II beta-bend conformation. However, only the more regularly folded conformation of molecule B is stabilized by a 1<--4 C = O...H--N intramolecular H bond. The present results indicate that: (i) the C alpha-methylated (alpha Me)Trp residue is a strong beta-bend and helix former, and (ii) the relationship between (alpha Me)Trp chirality and helix screw sense tends to be opposite to that of protein amino acids. The implications for the use of the (alpha Me)Trp residue in designing conformationally restricted analogs of bioactive peptides are briefly discussed.

The synthesis, physical and analytical characterization, and crystal-state structural analysis by X-ray diffraction of three analogues of the N alpha-acylated tripeptide amide tail of oxytocin, each containing a cyclic C alpha, alpha-disubstituted glycine at position 2, have been performed. The peptides are Boc-L-Pro-Ac3c-Gly-NH2, Z-L-Pro-Ac5c-Gly-NH2 and Z-L-Pro-Ac6c-Gly-NH2. While the former is folded in a type-II beta-turn conformation at the -L-Pro-Ac3c- sequence, the two latter tripeptides form two consecutive (type-II, type-I') beta-turns. The Ac5c- and Ac6c-tripeptides are the first examples of such a highly folded structural combination in a position-2 analogue of the N alpha-acylated -L-Pro-L-Leu-Gly-NH2 sequence.

The crystal and molecular structure of the fully protected dipeptide Boc-Val-(S)-alpha-MeSer-OMe has been determined by X-ray diffraction techniques. Crystals grown from ethyl acetate/n-pentane mixtures are tetragonal, space group I4(1), with cell parameters at 295 K of a = 15.307(2), c = 18.937(10)A, V = 4437.1A3, M.W. = 332.40, Z = 8, Dm = 0.99 g/cm3 and Dx = 0.995 g/cm3. The structure was solved by application of direct methods and refined to an R value of 0.028 for 1773 reflections with I > or = 3 sigma (I) collected on a CAD-4 diffractometer. Both chiral centers have the (S) configuration. The dipeptide assumes in the solid state an S shape. The urethane moiety is in the cis conformation, while the amide bond is in the common trans conformation. The conformational angles phi 1, psi 1 of the Val and phi 2, and psi 2 of the (S)-alpha MeSer fall in the F region of the phi-psi map. The isopropyl side chain of the Val residue has the (t, g-) conformation, while the Ser side chain has a g+ conformation. The hydrogen bond donor groups are all involved in intermolecular H-bond interactions. Along the quaternary axis the dipeptide molecules are linked to each other with the formation of infinite rows.

An investigation of the preferred conformations and modes of self-association of the peptide oxazolones from Z(-Aib-)n-OH (n = 2-4) in the solid state has been performed by infrared absorption. More detailed information on the peptide oxazolone from Z(-Aib-)3OH(2) has been obtained using X-ray diffraction. In this compound the conformations of the first two Aib residues differ substantially, only the N-terminal one being found in the usual 3(10)-(or alpha-) helical region of the Ramachandran map. The C = N-bond of the oxazolone group is not conjugated with the lactone moiety. A very weak intermolecular interaction occurs between the urethane N-H and the carbonyl group of the oxazolone ring.

The dodecapeptide Ac-Asp-Lys-Asp-Gly-Asn-Gly-Tyr-Ile-Ser-Ala-Ala-Gaba-OH is a modified calmodulin calcium binding domain III. The synthesis of the peptide by the solid phase method with a total protection scheme using PAM-resin is reported. The purified compound has been characterized by 1H n.m.r. spectroscopy, both in the presence and in the absence of calcium ions, at various pHs. No strong specific interaction seems to occur between the peptide and Ca++ ions in water solutions.

A study of the modes of folding and self-association of Z-Aib-L-Pro-Aib-OMe (the protected 1-3 segment of the peptaibol antibiotics alamethicin and hypelcin) in the solid state was performed using i.r. absorption and X-ray diffraction. The stereochemically constrained tripeptide molecules adopt a 4 leads to 1 intramolecularly H-bonded form (beta-turn), where the single intramolecular H-bond is found between the peptide N-H group of the Aib3 residue and the urethane C = O group of the N-blocking benzyloxycarbonyl moiety. This folded structure is stabilized by an intermolecular H-bond between the urethane N-H group of the Aib1 residue and the peptide C = O group of the Pro2 residue of a symmetry related molecule. According to the i.r. absorption data, in CH2Cl2 and TMP solutions the same intramolecularly H-bonded form occurs as that found in solid state. Compared to the situation in the solid state, in CH2Cl2 and TMP solvation of the urethane N-H group replaces self-association (through the same N-H group). The results are also discussed in relation to those obtained for other protected -Aib-X-Aib- (X = Aib, L-Ala, L-Val) tripeptide segments of peptaibol antibiotics.

The solid-state conformational analysis of t-AOC-L-Pro-OH has indicated that the molecules are not folded up to form an oxy-C7 peptide conformation, but rather that they are held together through intermolecular O-H .... 0 = C (urethane) hydrogen bonds. The tertiary amide bond is in the cis configuration. In solvents of high polarity strongly solvated species largely predominate. In cyclohexane solution non-associated and associated (involving the carboxyl C = O as the proton acceptor) species are simultaneously present. Obviously, the extent of association increases with increasing solute concentration. The amount of the oxy-C7 form, if any, should be extremely small. It is also demonstrated that CD measurements alone can lead to an incorrect picture of the conformational preferences of amino acid derivatives and small peptides in solution.

The amatoxins, highly toxic components of Amanita mushrooms, strongly inhibit the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II (or B) in eukaryotic cell nuclei. For optimal binding to the enzyme a gamma-hydroxyisoleucine side chain in the 3-position is important as in gamma-amanitin (compound 1), where the OH-group is bound in the [S]-configuration. Amanullin, a non-toxic component, having an oxygen-free isoleucine side chain no. 3, exhibits an inhibitory effect on RNA polymerase II about two orders of magnitude smaller than that of gamma-amanitin. An equal, relatively weak, inhibitory effect has previously been found with the synthetically obtained Ile3-analog 7. In the present paper the synthesis of an analog (2) bearing a gamma-hydroxyl group in the isoleucine side chain is described. The compound was found to have about the same inhibitory effect on RNA polymerase II from Drosophila embryos as amanullin and the Ile3-analog 7. Structure analysis by X-ray diffraction revealed that the hydroxyl group at the -carbon atom of side chain-3 has the [R]-configuration, the new analog thus being -deoxo[( )-hydroxy-[Ile3]-amaninamide. It follows that the [S]-configuration of this chiral center is a prerequisite to maximal toxicity. Crystallographic data demonstrating great similarity between the peptide backbones of the new analog and those of natural amatoxins are given.