Search

While the terminally protected tripeptide Boc-Phe-Gly-m-ABA-OMe I (m-ABA, meta-amino benzoic acid) is an excellent gelator of aromatic organic solvents, another similar tripeptide Boc-Leu-Gly-m-ABA-OMe II, where the Phe residue of peptide I is replaced by Leu, cannot form gels with the same solvents. The morphology of the gels of peptide I, characterised by the field-emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, reveals the formation of nanofibrous networks which are known to encapsulate solvent molecules to form gels. The wide-angle X-ray scattering studies of the gels suggest the β-sheet-mediated self-assembly of peptide I in the formation of a nanofibrous network, where π-stacking interactions of Phe play an important role in the self-assembly and gel formation. The dried gel of peptide I observed between crossed polarisers after binding with a physiological dye, Congo red, shows a bluish-green birefringence, a characteristic of amyloid fibrils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies show that the three designed tripeptides Boc-Leu-Aib-m-NA-NO2 (I), Boc-Phe-Aib-m-NA-NO2 (II) and Boc-Pro-Aib-m-ABA-OMe (III) (Aib, α-aminoisobutyric acid; m-NA, m-nitroaniline; m-ABA, m-aminobenzoic acid; Boc, t-butyloxycarbonyl) containing aromatic rings in the backbones adopt β-turn structures that are self-assembled through intermolecular hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions to create layers of β-sheets. Solvent-dependent NMR titration and CD studies show that the β-turn structures of the peptides also exist in the solution phase. The field emission scanning electron microscopic and transmission electron microscopic images of the peptides in the solid state reveal fibrillar structures of flat morphology that are formed through β-sheet mediated self-assembly of the preorganised β-turn building blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal that the incorporation of meta-amino benzoic acid in the middle of a helix forming hexapeptide sequence such as in peptide I Boc-Ile(1)-Aib(2)-Val(3)-m-ABA(4)-Ile(5)-Aib(6)-Leu(7)-OMe (Aib: α-amino isobutyric acid; m-ABA: meta-amino benzoic acid) breaks the helix propagation to produce a turn-linker-turn (T-L-T) foldamer in the solid state. In the crystalline state two conformational isomers of peptide I self-assemble in antiparallel fashion through intermolecular hydrogen bonds and aromatic π–π interactions to form a molecular duplex. The duplexes are further interconnected through intermolecular hydrogen bonds to form a layer of peptides. The layers are stacked one on top of the other through van der Waals interactions to form hydrophilic channels filled with solvent methanol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Single crystal X-ray diffraction study reveals that the water soluble tetrapeptide H2N–Ile–Aib–Leu–m-ABA–CO2H, containing non-coded Aib (α-amino isobutyric acid) and m-ABA (meta-amino benzoic acid), crystallizes with two smallest possible diastereomeric β-hairpin molecules in the asymmetric unit. Although in both of the molecules the chiralities at Ile(1) and Leu(3) are S, a conformational reversal in the back bone chain is observed to produce the β-hairpins with β-turn conformations of type II and II′. Interestingly Aib which is known to adopt helical conformation, adopts unusual semi-extended conformation with : −49.5(5)°, ψ: 135.2(5)° in type II and : 50.6(6)°, ψ: −137.0(4)° in type II′ for occupying the i +1 position of the β-turns. The two hairpin molecules are further interlocked through intermolecular hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions between – and −+NH3 groups to form dimeric supramolecular β-hairpin aggregate in the crystal state. The CD measurement and 2D NMR study of the peptide in aqueous medium support the existence of β-hairpin structure in water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies and solvent dependent NMR titration reveal that the designed peptides I and II, Boc-Xx(1)-Aib(2)-Yy(3)-NH(CH2)2NH-Yy(3)-Aib(2)-Xx(1)-Boc, where Xx and Yy are Ile and Leu in peptide I and Leu and Val in peptide II, respectively, fold into a turn-linker-turn (T-L-T) conformation both in the solid state and in solution. In the crystalline state the T-L-T foldamers of peptide I and II self-assemble to form a three-dimensional framework of channels. The insides of the channels are hydrophilic and found to contain solvent CHCl3 hydrogen bonded to exposed Clocated at the turn regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]