Using one-step perturbation to predict the folding equilibrium of differently stereochemically substituted β-peptides

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2010 Dec 21;12(47):15442-7. doi: 10.1039/c0cp00833h. Epub 2010 Oct 29.

Abstract

The one-step perturbation technique is used to predict the folding equilibria for 16 peptides with different stereochemical side-chain substitutions through one or two long-time simulations, one of an unphysical reference state and another of one of the 16 peptides for which many folding events can be sampled. The accuracy of the one-step perturbation results was investigated by comparing to results available from long-time MD simulations of particular peptides. Their folding free energies were reproduced within statistical accuracy. The one-step perturbation results show that an axial substitution at either the C(α) or the C(β) position destabilizes the 3(14)-helical conformation of the hepta-β-peptide, which is consistent with data inferred from experimental CD spectra. The methodology reduces the number of required separate simulations by an order of magnitude.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Peptides