1.N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-L-valyl-L-valine methyl ester: a twisted parallel β-sheet in the crystal structure of a protected dipeptide.
Jacobsen Ø1, Gebreslasie HG, Klaveness J, Rongved P, Görbitz CH. Acta Crystallogr C. 2011 Aug;67(Pt 8):o278-82. doi: 10.1107/S0108270111022293. Epub 2011 Jul 5.
The title compound, C(16)H(30)N(2)O(5), crystallizes with three molecules in the asymmetric unit, each adopting a β-strand/polyproline II backbone conformation. The main-chain functional groups are hydrogen bonded into tapes having the characteristics of parallel β-sheets. Each tape has a left-handed twist and thus forms a helix, with six peptide molecules needed to complete a full 360° rotation. A comparison of hydrogen-bond lengths and twisting modes is made with other related structures of protected dipeptides and with a hexapeptide derived from amyloid-β containing the Val-Val segment. Additionally, a comparison of the backbone conformation is made with that of the Val141-Val142 segment of the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4).
2.High-performance liquid chromatography of 2,4-disubstituted-5(4H)-oxazolones, anhydrides and other activated forms of N-acyl- and N-alkoxycarbonylamino acids.
Chen FM1, Benoiton NL. Int J Pept Protein Res. 1990 Nov;36(5):476-9.
Normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography has been achieved of the common activated forms of valine on a LiChrosorb-CN or a muPorasil (underivatized silica) column using hexane containing 1.5 or 5% tert.-butanol as solvent. Compounds examined include the 2-alkoxy-5(4H)-oxazolones and symmetrical and mixed anhydrides of N-tert.-butoxycarbonyl-, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-, and N-9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonylvaline, the chloride of the latter, a p-nitrophenyl ester, 2-methyl-4-isopropyl-5(4H)-oxazolone, valine-N-carboxyanhydride, and the N- and O-ethoxycarbonyl adducts of l-hydroxybenzotriazole. The 5(4H)-oxazolones from N-tert.-butoxycarbonylvaline and N-benzyloxycarbonylglycylvaline decomposed during chromatography on the muPorasil but not the LiChrosorb-CN column. The method allows direct monitoring of reactions involving generation or consumption of activated forms of amino acids.
3.N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-O-allyl-L-seryl-α-aminoisobutyryl-L-valine methyl ester: a protected tripeptide with an allylated serine residue.
Gebreslasie HG1, Jacobsen Ø, Görbitz CH. Acta Crystallogr C. 2011 Sep;67(Pt 9):o359-63. doi: 10.1107/S0108270111029647. Epub 2011 Aug 6.
The title compound [systematic name (6S,12S)-methyl 6-(allyloxymethyl)-12-isopropyl-2,2,9,9-tetramethyl-4,7,10-trioxo-3-oxa-5,8,11-triazatridecan-13-oate], C(21)H(37)N(3)O(7), containing the little studied O-allyl-L-serine residue [Ser(All)], crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2 with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The compound is an analogue of the Ser140-Val142 segment of the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4). It forms a distorted type-II β-turn with a P(II)-3(10L)-P(II) backbone conformation (P(II) is polyproline II). The overall backbone conformation is markedly different from that of the CO(Pro139)-Val142 stretch of rat AQP4, but is quite similar to the corresponding segment of human AQP4, despite significant differences at the level of the individual residues. The side chain of the Ser(All) residue adopts a gauche conformation relative to the backbone CO-C(α) and C(α)-N bonds. The H atoms of the two CH(2) groups in the Ser(All) side chain are almost eclipsed.
