title: The outstanding biological stability of beta- and gamma-peptides toward proteolytic enzymes: an in vitro investigation with fifteen peptidases.
abstract: A series of 36 linear and cyclic beta- and gamma-peptides consisting of as few as two, and as many as 15 residues, was offered as substrates to 15 commercially available proteases of bacterial, fungal, and eukaryotic origin, including a beta-lactamase and amidases, as well as most vigorous, nonspecific proteases, such as the 20S proteasome from human erythrocytes. For comparison, an alpha-eicosapeptide and standard substrates of the proteolytic enzymes were included in the investigation. Under conditions of complete cleavage of the alpha-peptide within 15 min the beta- and gamma-peptides were stable for at least 48 h. Inhibition studies with seven beta- and gamma-peptides and alpha-chymotrypsin show that the residual enzyme activity toward succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide is unchanged within experimental error after incubation for 15 min with the peptide analogues. Thus, beta- and gamma-peptides with proteinogenic side chains, that is, consisting of the singly or doubly homologated natural alpha-amino acids (one or two CH(2) groups inserted in the backbone of each residue), are completely stable to common proteases, without inhibiting their normal activity (as demonstrated for alpha-chymotrypsin). This proteolytic stability of peptides built of homologated amino acids is a prerequisite for their potential use as drugs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium für Organische Chemie der Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschule, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frackenpohl
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Arvidsson
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seebach
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases