To study the binding of fatty-acylated proteins to lipid bilayers, we have specifically attached fatty acids to the N-terminus of chemically modified bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor. This was accomplished by reacting the protein with saturated fatty acid anhydrides ranging in length from 8 to 18 carbons. Following radiolabeling of the fatty-acylated proteins at Lys-15, binding of these proteins to palmitoyloleoyl phosphatidylcholine vesicles was examined as a function of temperature using ultracentrifugation to determine the fraction of bound protein. Binding of these fatty-acylated proteins exhibited a significant enthalpy change. We also examined the free-energy change of binding as a function of fatty acid chain length. Our results are complimentary to other binding studies of fatty-acylated peptides. Comparisons with other myristoylated proteins and peptides indicate that local protein structure, apart from electrostatic interactions, plays a significant role in determining the magnitude of the overall free-energy change of membrane binding of fatty-acylated proteins. Light-scattering experiments indicated that both myristoyl and palmitoyl groups can induce protein micelle formation in aqueous solution at high concentration, but that only palmitoyl groups do so at physiologically relevant concentrations. Our results support a model in which single lipid modifications are incapable of stably anchoring proteins to biological membranes but facilitate protein associations in conjunction with other modes of interaction.

This study describes the use of cyclic peptides for use in the selection of single-chain (ScFv) antibodies specific for the HIV-1 coreceptor CCR5, a representative G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). A tandem ligation strategy was developed for preparing biotinylated cyclic peptides, first through an orthogonal end-to-end ligation and then a chemoselective ligation with functionalized biotin. Cyclic peptides mimicking the extracellular loops of CCR5 and their unconstrained counterparts were then used for solution-phase selection of ScFv antibodies from a phage display antibody library. Antibodies reactive with CCR5 on cells were detected using a homogeneous high throughput assay. Of 19 isolated ScFv antibodies that bound to CCR5+ cells, three inhibited CCR5-mediated but not CXCR4-mediated HIV infection. Only ScFvs selected by binding to cyclic constrained peptides exhibited inhibitory activity. Our results demonstrate that surface-antigen mimetics of a GPCR are effective tools for selecting active, site-specific ScFv antibodies that hold promise as immunological reagents and therapeutics.

The proximity of the alpha-amine and beta-thiol of alpha-amino terminal-cysteine (NT-Cys) residues in peptides imparts unique chemical properties that have been exploited for inter- and intra-molecular ligation of unprotected peptides obtained through both synthetic and biological means. A reversible protecting group orthogonal to other protection strategies and reversible under mild conditions would be useful in simplifying the synthesis, cleavage, purification and handling of such NT-Cys peptides. It could also be useful for the sequential ligation of peptides. To this end, we explored tri-one chemistry and found that ninhydrin (indane-1,2,3 trione) reacted readily with cysteine or an NT-Cys-containing peptide on- or off-resin at pH 2-5 to form Ninhydrin-protected Cys (Nin-Cys) as a thiazolidine (Thz). The Thz ring, protecting both the amino and thiol groups in Nin-Cys, completely avoids the formylation and Thz side reactions found during hydrofluoric acid (HF) cleavage when N-pi-benzyloxymethyl histidine groups are present. Nin-Cys is stable during coupling reactions and various cleavage conditions with trifluoroacetic acid or HF, but is deprotected under thiolytic or reducing conditions. These properties enable a facile one-step deprotection and end-to-end-cyclization reaction of Nin-Cys peptides containing C-terminal thioesters.

To produce a series of model membrane proteins, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) has been modified by specifically attaching reporter groups to Lys-15 and fatty acids or hydrophobic peptides at the N-terminus. Lys-15 of BPTI was protected by trypsin bound to BPTI, then O-methylisourea (OMIU) was used to guanidinate all unprotected lysines. The N-terminal amine was then reacted with several saturated fatty acid anhydrides from 8 to 18 carbons in length, or with an SMCC cross-linker. Cysteine-containing hydrophobic peptides, cleaved from resin in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), were then attached to the protein via the N-terminal cross-linker. The methods described yield a unique, chemically modified protein which can carry site-specific modifications at two distinct residues. The resulting proteins are ideal for diffusional or partitioning studies on model and biological membranes.