title: Design, synthesis, and validation of a branched flexible linker for bioactive peptides.
abstract: A branched flexible linker that incorporates a fluorescent dansyl moiety was synthesized and used to connect two high affinity NDP-alpha-MSH ligands or two low affinity MSH(4) ligands. The linker was incorporated into the conjugate by solid-phase synthesis. In vitro biological evaluations showed that potency of binding to the human melanocortin 4 receptor was not diminished for linker-ligand combinations relative to the corresponding ligand alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0041, USA.
authors.forename: Martina E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Yasunari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Monguchi
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sankaranarayanan
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vagner
authors.forename: Lucinda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Begay
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bhumasamudram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jagadish
authors.forename: Victor J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Hruby
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Gillies
authors.forename: Eugene A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Mash
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D015195:Drug Design; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008024:Ligands; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008024:Ligands; D010455:Peptides; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000521:alpha-MSH