Model peptides based on the binding loop of the cooper metallochaperone Atx1: Selectivity of the consensus Sequence MxCxxC for metal ions Hg(II), Cu(I), Cu(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II)

Two model peptides that mimic the binding loop of the copper chaperone Atx1 were synthesized in order the analyze the coordination properties and selectivity of the amino acid sequence MxCxxC that is conserved in many soft-metal transporters that are involved in the control of the intercellular concentration of ions such Cu(II), Hg(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II). The results of the analysis demonstrate that the overall behavior of the two peptide complexes are similar, though the stabilities of the complexes obtained with cyclic Atx1are systematically higher than those observed with the linear one.