Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 12 of 12

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Nanomolar Binding Of Peptides Containing Noncanonical Amino Acids By A Synthetic Receptor, Leigh Logsdon, Christopher Schardon, Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Sharon Kwee, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Nanomolar Binding Of Peptides Containing Noncanonical Amino Acids By A Synthetic Receptor, Leigh Logsdon, Christopher Schardon, Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Sharon Kwee, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

This paper describes the molecular recognition of phenylalanine derivatives and their peptides by the synthetic receptor cucurbit[7]uril (Q7). The 4-tert-butyl and 4-aminomethyl derivatives of phenylalanine (tBuPhe and AMPhe) were identified from a screen to have 20–30-fold higher affinity than phenylalanine for Q7. Placement of these residues at the N-terminus of model tripeptides (X-Gly-Gly), resulted in no change in affinity for tBuPhe-Gly-Gly, but a remarkable 500-fold increase in affinity for AMPhe-Gly-Gly, which bound to Q7 with an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) value of 0.95 nM in neutral phosphate buffer. Structure–activity studies revealed that three functional groups work in a positively cooperative …


Charge-Mediated Recognition Of N-Terminal Tryptophan In Aqueous Solution By A Synthetic Host, Meghan Bush, Nicole Bouley, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Charge-Mediated Recognition Of N-Terminal Tryptophan In Aqueous Solution By A Synthetic Host, Meghan Bush, Nicole Bouley, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

The molecular recognition of peptides and proteins in aqueous solution by designed molecules remains an elusive goal with broad implications for basic biochemical research and for sensors and separations technologies. This paper describes the recognition of N-terminal tryptophan in aqueous solution by the synthetic host cucurbit[8]uril (Q8). Q8 is known to form 1:1:1 heteroternary complexes with methyl viologen (MV) and a second aromatic guest. Here, the complexes of Q8·MV with (i) the four natural aromatic α-amino acids, (ii) four singly charged tryptophan derivatives, and (iii) four tryptophan-containing tripeptides were characterized by isothermal titration calorimetry, mass spectrometry, and UV−visible, fluorescence, and …


Molecular Recognition Of Insulin By A Synthetic Receptor, Jordan Chinai, Alexander Taylor, Lisa Ryno, Nicholas Hargreaves, Christopher Morris, P Hart, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Molecular Recognition Of Insulin By A Synthetic Receptor, Jordan Chinai, Alexander Taylor, Lisa Ryno, Nicholas Hargreaves, Christopher Morris, P Hart, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

The discovery of molecules that bind tightly and selectively to desired proteins continues to drive innovation at the interface of chemistry and biology. This paper describes the binding of human insulin by the synthetic receptor cucurbit[7]uril (Q7) in vitro. Isothermal titration calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy experiments show that Q7 binds to insulin with an equilibrium association constant of 1.5 × 106 M−1 and with 50−100-fold selectivity versus proteins that are much larger but lack an N-terminal aromatic residue, and with >1000-fold selectivity versus an insulin variant lacking the N-terminal phenylalanine (Phe) residue. The crystal structure of the Q7·insulin complex shows …


A Cucurbit[8]Uril Sponge, Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Sharon Kwee, Lisa Ryno, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

A Cucurbit[8]Uril Sponge, Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Sharon Kwee, Lisa Ryno, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

This paper describes a convenient approach to quantitative removal of the synthetic host cucurbit[8]uril (Q8) from aqueous mixtures using a sepharose resin coated in memantine groups to selectively sequester Q8 in the presence of competing hosts and guests. The “Q8 sponge” can separate Q8 from Q6 and reverse the Q8-mediated dimerization of peptides.


Multivalent Recognition Of Peptides By Modular Self-Assembled Receptors, Joseph Reczek, Aimee Kennedy, Brian Halbert, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Multivalent Recognition Of Peptides By Modular Self-Assembled Receptors, Joseph Reczek, Aimee Kennedy, Brian Halbert, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

Developing nontraditional approaches to the synthesis and characterization of multivalent compounds is critical to our efforts to study and interface with biological systems and to build new noncovalent materials. This paper demonstrates a biomimetic approach to the construction of discrete, modular, multivalent receptors via molecular self-assembly in aqueous solution. Scaffolds presenting 1−3 viologen groups recruit a respective 1−3 copies of the synthetic host, cucurbit[8]uril, in a noncooperative manner and with a consistent equilibrium association constant (Ka) value of 2 × 106 M−1 per binding site. The assembled mono-, di-, and trivalent receptors bind to their cognate target peptides containing 1−3 …


Solid-Phase Synthesis Of Peptide−Viologen Conjugates, Joseph Reczek, Elisa Rebolini, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Solid-Phase Synthesis Of Peptide−Viologen Conjugates, Joseph Reczek, Elisa Rebolini, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

This paper presents a robust method for the conjugation of viologens to peptides using an amide coupling strategy that is compatible with standard Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis. Methodology is presented for monitoring the milligram scale process quantitatively by UV spectroscopy. This chemistry enables the synthesis of a broad range of asymmetric viologens in high yield at room temperature and is compatible with a wide range of functional groups, including amine, guanidinyl, thiol, carboxylic acid, phenol, and indole.


Sequence-Specific Inhibition Of A Nonspecific Protease, Leigh Logsdon, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Sequence-Specific Inhibition Of A Nonspecific Protease, Leigh Logsdon, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

A nonspecific exopeptidase, aminopeptidase N (APN), is inhibited sequence-specifically by a synthetic host, cucurbit[7]uril (Q7), which binds with high affinity and specificity to N-terminal phenylalanine (Phe) and 4-(aminomethyl)phenylalanine (AMPhe) and prevents their removal from the peptide. Liquid chromatography experiments demonstrated that in the presence of excess Q7, APN quantitatively converts the pentapeptides Thr-Gly-Ala-X-Met into the dipeptides X-Met (X = Phe, AMPhe). The resulting Q7-bound products are completely stable to proteolytic digestion for at least 24 h. Structure–activity studies revealed a direct correlation between the extent of protection of an N-terminal amino acid and its affinity for Q7. Therefore, Q7 provides …


Effects Of Sequence Context On The Binding Of Tryptophan-Containing Peptides By The Cucurbit[8]Uril-Methyl Viologen Complex, Omar Ali, Eric Olson, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Effects Of Sequence Context On The Binding Of Tryptophan-Containing Peptides By The Cucurbit[8]Uril-Methyl Viologen Complex, Omar Ali, Eric Olson, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

This paper describes a novel assay for measuring the relative extent of peptide binding in a large parallel format and the use of this assay to explore the effects of sequence context on the binding of tryptophan (Trp)-containing peptides by the synthetic receptor comprising the noncovalent complex between cucurbit[8]uril and methyl viologen (i.e. Q8√MV). The extent of quenching of Trp fluorescence upon binding to Q8√MV was used to measure the relative extent of binding and thus the relative affinities of 104 Trp-containing peptides, in parallel, using a fluorescence plate reader. This study resulted in the remarkable observation that the identity …


Supramolecular Chemistry: A Capstone Course, Adam Urbach, Christopher Pursell, John Spence Nov 2015

Supramolecular Chemistry: A Capstone Course, Adam Urbach, Christopher Pursell, John Spence

Adam R Urbach

A fourth-year capstone course offers students an opportunity to integrate topics covered in the core disciplinary courses, to learn an advanced interdisciplinary topic, and to approach unfamiliar problems and literature. This article describes a fourth-year capstone course designed to incorporate components of faculty lectures, student seminars, and original, hands-on research projects in order to cover the topic of supramolecular chemistry in one semester with unusual depth. This approach should be applicable to other advanced topics in chemistry.


Cucurbit[8]Uril Rotaxanes, Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Cucurbit[8]Uril Rotaxanes, Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

The synthesis of [2]rotaxanes, each comprising a viologen core threaded through a cucurbit[8]uril (Q8, Figure 1) macrocycle and stoppered by tetraphenylmethane groups, and their binding to second guests as inclusion complexes in organic and aqueous media are described. Stoppering was observed to have little effect on binding. Chemical modification of the threaded guest was used to control solubility and binding characteristics, thus demonstrating a novel approach to making artificial receptors with readily modifiable properties.


Sequence-Specific Recognition And Cooperative Dimerization Of N-Terminal Aromatic Peptides In Aqueous Solution By A Synthetic Host, Lisa Heitmann, Alexander Taylor, P Hart, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Sequence-Specific Recognition And Cooperative Dimerization Of N-Terminal Aromatic Peptides In Aqueous Solution By A Synthetic Host, Lisa Heitmann, Alexander Taylor, P Hart, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

This article describes the selective recognition and noncovalent dimerization of N-terminal aromatic peptides in aqueous solution by the synthetic host compound, cucurbit[8]uril (Q8). Q8 is known to bind two aromatic guests simultaneously and, in the presence of methyl viologen, to recognize N-terminal tryptophan over internal and C-terminal sequence isomers. Here, the binding of Q8 to aromatic peptides in the absence of methyl viologen was studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), 1H NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. The peptides studied were of sequence X-Gly-Gly, Gly-X-Gly, and Gly-Gly-X (X = Trp, Phe, Tyr, and His). Q8 selectively binds and dimerizes Trp-Gly-Gly …


Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy In The Undergraduate Curriculum, Adam Urbach Nov 2015

Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy In The Undergraduate Curriculum, Adam Urbach

Adam R Urbach

Circular dichroism spectropolarimetry (CD) is a method of optical spectroscopy that seems in most practical ways like UV−visible spectroscopy. The main difference between the two methods is that CD, instead of measuring the absorbance of light as a function of wavelength, measures the difference in absorbance of left versus right circularly polarized light as a function of wavelength. A CD spectrum is an observation of the structure of a chiral compound; it often serves as a “fingerprint” of the structure of biological molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. For this reason, CD has been broadly applied in biochemistry and …