1. Synthesis of a new dipeptide template, its X-ray structure, and modeling studies on its conformational features
F Esser, A Carpy, H Briem, H Köppen, K H Pook Int J Pept Protein Res. 1995 Jun;45(6):540-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3011.1995.tb01317.x.
The diastereoselective synthesis is reported of a dipeptide template which is closely related to H-Gly-Trp-OH. Intramolecular bond formation between alpha-C of Gly and ring position 2 of the Trp unit has been achieved by a Pictet-Spengler-type electrophilic aromatic substitution. The absolute configuration of the N-Moc protected dipeptide template 9.2H2O was determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography and found to be (2S,5S). The cis orientation of the amino and carboxy termini prompted us to investigate the potential of 9 as a beta-turn mimic. MD calculations on the model pseudopeptide Ac-Ala-Gly-Trp-Ala-NHMe 11 suggest that an unusually tight turn should be favoured rather than a beta-turn. The proper protective situation as a pre-requisite for the incorporation of the template into a peptide has been established, and comments about its chemical properties are given.
2. Conformations and properties of the L-tryptophyl-containing peptides in solution, depending on the pH--theoretical study vs. experiments
Bojidarka B Ivanova, Michael Spiteller Biopolymers. 2010 Aug;93(8):727-34. doi: 10.1002/bip.21437.
The conformational preference and electronic properties of three L-tryptophyl-containing dipeptides, i.e., glycyl-L-tryptophane (H-Gly-Trp-OH), L-alanyl-L-tryptophane (H-Ala-Trp-OH), and L-methionyl-L-tryptophane (L-Met-Trp-OH) in solution depending on the pH of the media are studied both theoretically and experimentally. The effect of the protonation of the COO(-) and deprotonation of the NH3+ as well as the alkaline hydrolysis of the amide fragment in a strong basic media on the electronic spectra are discussed. Ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods as well as the time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) method as a function of the basis set are performed with a view to obtain the geometry and electronic properties of all of the species as well as the intermediate, obtained in the alkaline hydrolysis mechanism.
3. Effects of the neuropeptide APGW-amide and related compounds on molluscan muscles--GW-amide shows potent modulatory effects
H Minakata, Y Kuroki, T Ikeda, Y Fujisawa, K Nomoto, I Kubota, Y Muneoka Comp Biochem Physiol C Comp Pharmacol Toxicol. 1991;100(3):565-71. doi: 10.1016/0742-8413(91)90041-q.
1. Effects of the molluscan neuropeptide APGW-amide and related compounds (the crustacean hormone RPCH, FAPGW-amide, PGW-amide, GW-amide and W-amide) were examined in several kinds of molluscan muscles. 2. All the compounds, except W-amide, showed qualitatively similar modulatory effects on contraction or relaxation of the muscles. The potency order of the compounds was found to be GW-amide greater than or equal to APGW-amide greater than FAPGW-amide greater than RPCH greater than PGW-amide. W-amide showed little or no effect even at 10(-4) M. 3. In the ABRM of Mytilus and the radula retractor muscle of Rapana, the active peptides were suggested to exhibit their modulatory effects by acting on the presynaptic sites in the muscles. 4. Nineteen GW-amide analogues, such as Gly-Trp-OH, Gly-Phe-NH2, D-Ala-Trp-NH2 and N-Gly-tryptamine, were also tested on some of the muscles, but all of them showed little or no effect.
