Fmoc-Tyr(Ph)-OH

We have previously described the conditions by which peptide synthesis by the solid-phase fragment condensation approach can be carried out using crown ethers as non-covalent protection for the N alpha-amino group. Here we demonstrate that the procedure can be extended to large, partially protected peptide fragments possessing free Lys and/or Arg residues. The first step was to ensure that complex formation on the side chain of amino acids was not detrimental to the methodology and exhibited the same solubility and coupling properties as N alpha-complexed peptides. Thus, a model hexapeptide was synthesized using Fmoc chemistry containing Lys and Arg residues, which, when complexed with 18-Crown-6, was readily soluble in DCM and coupled quantitatively to a resin-bound tetrapeptide. Two tripeptides were then prepared, one containing a free Ser residue, the other free Tyr, to examine the possible occurrence of side reactions. After coupling using standard conditions only the former tripeptide exhibited the formation of the O-acylation by-product (5%). Another model hexapeptide containing Lys, Tyr, Ser and Asp protected with a TFA-stable adamantyl group was complexed with 18-Crown-6 and coupled to the resin-bound tetrapeptide with near quantitative yield. Extending the length of the peptide to 21 and 40 residues, which represent sequences Gly52 to Leu72 (21-mer) and Pro33 to Leu72 (40-mer) from Rattus norvegicus chaperonin 10 protein, respectively, resulted in partially protected fragments that were readily soluble in water, thus enabling purification by RP-HPLC. Complexation with 18-Crown-6 gave two highly soluble products that coupled to resin-board tetramer with 68% and 50% coupling efficiencies for the 21-mer and 40-mer, respectively. Treatment with 1% DIEA solutions followed by acidolytic cleavage and purification of the major product confirmed that the correct product has been formed, when analysed by amino acid analysis and ESI-MS. These results served to extend the methodology of non-covalent protection of large partially protected peptide fragments for the stepwise fragment condensation of polypeptides.

A general synthetic method for the efficient preparation of Tyr(P)-containing peptides is described by the use of Fmoc-Tyr(PO3tBu2)-OH in Fmoc/solid-phase synthesis followed by simultaneous cleavage of the peptide from the resin and peptide deprotection by acidolytic treatment. The applicability of this approach is demonstrated by the synthesis of H-Ser-Ser-Ser-Tyr(P)-Tyr(P)-OH.TFA and the synthesis of the phosphorylated forms of the two physiological peptides, angiotensin II and neurotensin 8-13. In addition, the three phosphorylated peptides were used as substrates in the study of the local specificity determinants of T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase. In a competition assay using 32P-radiolabeled [Tyr(P)]4-angiotensin II, both unlabeled synthetic [Tyr(P)]4-angiotensin II and Ser-Ser-Ser-Tyr(P)-Tyr(P) reduced the release of 32P and indicated that they efficiently competed as substrates for the phosphatase. Conversely, [Tyr(P)]4-neurotensin 8-13 was ineffective as a competitive substrate and indicated that this particular Tyr(P)-containing peptide sequence was not recognized by the enzyme. The marked difference in the recognition of Asp-Arg-Val-Tyr(P)-Ile-His-Pro-Phe and Arg-Arg-Pro-Tyr(P)-Ile-Leu is consistent with the presence of an acidic residue in the -3 position relative to the Tyr(P) residue.

The synthesis of the two 4-phosphono-2-aminobutanoyl-containing peptides, Leu-Arg-Arg-Val-Abu(P)-Leu-Gly-OH.CF3CO2H and Ile-Val-Pro-Asn-Abu(P)-Val-Glu-Glu-OH.CF3CO2H was accomplished by the use of Fmoc-Abu(PO3Me2)-OH in Fmoc/solid-phase peptide synthesis. The protected phosphoamino acid, Fmoc-Abu(PO3Me2)-OH, was prepared from Boc-Asp-OtBu in seven steps, the formation of the C-P linkage being effected by the treatment of Boc-Asa-OtBu with dimethyl trimethylsilyl phosphite. Peptide synthesis was performed using Wang Resin as the polymer support with both peptides assembled by the use of PyBOP for the coupling of Fmoc amino acids and 20% piperidine for cleavage of the Fmoc group from the Fmoc-peptide after each coupling cycle. Cleavage of the peptide from the resin and peptide deprotection was accomplished by the treatment of the peptide-resin with 5% thioanisole/TFA followed by cleavage of the methyl phosphonate group by 1 M bromotrimethylsilane/1 M thioanisole in TFA.