Chemistry Commons^™

Synthesis And Conformational Studies Of Various Amides, Marcos Beltran-Sanchez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

In the past, aminocyclohexanol rings have been successfully utilized as pH-triggered molecular switches in various trans-2-aminocyclohexanol derivatives. By changing the groups on the amine nitrogen, these models provided a wide pH range in which a switch can occur. The pH-induced switch of conformation was monitored by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The models were also incorporated into the bilayer membrane of liposome structures and tested for their ability to disrupt their membrane upon their conformational flip induced by a decrease in pH.

In this work, the amide bond has been studied as a molecular switch and various amide derivatives have been tested for …

The Rational Investigation Of Anti-Cancer Peptide Specificity Using The Knob-Socket Model, Shivarni Patel

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cancer has been a pervasive and deadly problem for many years. No treatments have been developed that effectively destroy cancer cells while also keeping healthy cells safe. In this work, the knob-socket construct is used to analyze two systems involved in cancer pathways, the PDZ domain and the Bcl-BH3 complex. Application of the knob-socket model in mapping the packing surface topology (PST) allows a direct analysis of the residue groups important for peptide specificity and affinity in both of these systems. PDZ domains are regulatory proteins that bind the C-terminus of peptides involved in the signaling pathway of cancer progression. …