title: Conformational states of Leu5- and Met5-enkephalins in solution.
abstract: The molecular conformations of Leu5- and Met5-enkephalins in aqueous and DMSO solutions were investigated by FT-IR and laser Raman spectroscopic methods. The amide I, II, and III regions in the FT-IR spectra of Leu5- and Met5-enkephalins in aqueous solution were analyzed by performing Fourier self-deconvolution of the bands. Leu5-enkephalin in aqueous solution is found to exist in both type II beta-turn and beta-sheet structures, whereas Met5-enkephalin has a lesser tendency to form beta-turn structure in aqueous solution. It is likely that these different conformers of enkephalins might bind to different receptor types.
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012996:Solutions; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine