Proton magnetic resonance assignments and conformational studies of the polypeptide antibiotic [di-N-methylleucine]gramicidin S dihydrochloride

Antiparallel pleated beta-sheets observed in crystal structures of N,N-bis(trichloroacetyl) and N,N-bis(m-bromobenzoyl) gramicidin S

Despite intensive efforts, the structures of gramicidin S (GS) [cyclo(-Val-Orn-Leu-d-Phe-Pro-)(2)] and its analogues have not been elucidated by the X-ray diffraction method, except for the GS-urea complex (Hull et al., Nature 275, 206-207, 1978; Tishchenko et al., Acta Cryst. D53, 151-159, 1997). We focused on the acetylation of GS to obtain suitable crystals for X-ray diffraction. The amino groups of Orn residues were capped with trichloroacetic and m-bromobenzoic acids. Both trichloroacetyl and m-bromobenzoyl GSs (TcGS and BzGS, respectively) are hydrophobic and their properties are similar to those of acetyl-GS (AcGS). Although it is well known that AcGS yields hexagonal crystals, TcGS and BzGS yield monoclinic and orthorhombic crystals in aqueous dimethylformamide solution, respectively. Their cell volumes were approximately one-fourth or one-eighth of the hexagonal cell volume. The crystal structures of TcGS and BzGS were determined as the first examples of acetylated GS analogues: TcGS, C(64)H(90)N(12)O(12)Cl(6). 3(C(3)H(7)NO), M(r) = 1651.47, monoclinic, P2(1), a = 15.4366(6) A, b = 18.5312(4) A, c = 16.4774(6) A, beta = 14.160(2) degrees, V = 4300.6(2) A(3), Z = 2; and BzGS, C(64)H(98)N(12)O(12)Br(2). 1.54(H(2)O), M(r) = 1535.21, orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 16.748(10) A, b = 18.834(5) A, c = 28.558(10) A, V = 9008(7) A(3), Z = 4. Both these peptide molecules formed an antiparallel pleated beta-sheet, and pseudo twofold symmetries existed in the repeated sequence. beta-Turns formed at the fragments of d-Phe-Pro were classified into type II' based on their characteristics. The peptide conformations of TcGS and BzGS were similar to each other, and these structural features agreed with those of structures proposed by the previous studies.

270-MHz 1H nuclear-magnetic-resonance study of met-enkephalin in solvent mixtures. Conformational transition from dimethylsulphoxide to water

1H spectra at 270 MHz of zwitterionic Met-enkephalin pentapeptide (Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met) in (C2H3)2SO/water mixtures are reported and discussed in terms of solvent-induced conformational transitions. The analysis of the chemical shifts, line widths, coupling constants and rotamer populations around chi 1 and chi 2 suggests that the conformational properties of Met-enkephalin in the two solvents are quite different. In aqueous solution, the preferred structure, characterized by the absence of intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded NH groups and head-to-tail interactions, very likely is an equilibrium of unfolded conformations with approximately equal energy. In (C2H3)2SO, the preferred structure is folded, with the Met-5 NH intramolecularly bonded and the Gly-3 NH protected from the solvent, while the Gly-2 and Phe-4 amide protons are solvent exposed. A conformational transition of Met-enkephalin from the intramolecularly bonded to the unbonded one takes place at about 40 mol-% water in (C2H3)2SO, involving the Met-5 NH proton and the Tyr-Gly-Gly fragment. The Phe-4 and Met-5 phi angles do not change appreciably, which suggest that an inversion at the Gly-3 residue of the folded form, responsible for the conformational transition, does not affect the C-terminal moiety. At about 70 mol-% water in (C2H3)2SO a change in the solvent mixture properties affects the chi 1 rotamer populations and the ring dynamics of the aromatic side chains. The line broadening of the Tyr-1 delta and epsilon proton resonances indicates a specific interaction of the N-terminal ring with the solvent.