The Membrane Mediated Conformation of Dynorphin A(1-13) as Studied by Transferred Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy

Dynorphin A is a potent opioid peptide with high specificity for the kappa-opioid receptor. The kappa-agonists are of clinical interest because kappa-receptors have been found to mediate analgesia with low addictive potential. The N-terminal fragment Dynorphin has high potency and kappa selectivity comparable to the natural 17 amino-acid peptide. The membrane is believed to play an important role in the receptor-peptide interactions. We report the conformational analysis of Dynorphin A at the surface of small uni-lamellar phosphatidylcholine vesicles.