title: Conformational properties of deltorphin: new features of the delta-opioid receptor.
abstract: Deltorphin is an opioid peptide with the sequence H-Tyr-D-Met-Phe-His-Leu-Met-Asp-NH2, recently isolated from the skin of Phyllomedusa sauvagei. Its enormous selectivity towards the delta-opioid receptor and the similarity of the N-terminal part of the sequence with that of dermorphin (H-Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Gly-Tyr-Pro-Ser-NH2), a mu selective peptide isolated from the same natural source, prompted a comparative conformational study. A 1H-NMR study in two different solvent systems showed that the conformational preferences of the N-terminal sequences of the two peptides are similar. The different selectivities towards opioid receptors have been interpreted in terms of charge effects. Besides a general trend consistent with the role of the membrane in the preselection of the peptides, the present study demonstrates the crucial role played by charged residues in the interaction inside the receptors.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, University of Naples, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Temussi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Picone
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tancredi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tomatis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvadori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marastoni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balboni
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; C059567:deltorphin; C030058:dermorphin