A synthetic scaffold that mimics a peptide β-strand has been designed and synthesised based on a 1,3-phenyl-linked hydantoin oligomer. The conformational preferences of this oligomer were investigated using molecular modelling and solution NMR experiments and suggest a planar conformation that accurately mimics the i, i + 2 and i + 4 residues of a peptide β-strand.

Orthanilic acid (2-aminobenzenesulfonic acid, (S)Ant), an aromatic β-amino acid, has been shown to be highly useful in inducing a folded conformation in peptides. When incorporated into peptide sequences (Xaa-(S)Ant-Yaa), this rigid aromatic β-amino acid strongly imparts a reverse-turn conformation to the peptide backbone, featuring robust 11-membered-ring hydrogen-bonding.

A cyclic β-amino acid (APC(Gu)) bearing a side-chain guanidinium group has been developed. The APC(Gu) residue was incorporated into an α/β-peptide based on the Tat(47-57) fragment, leading to an oligomer with substantial helicity in methanol that enters HeLa cells much more readily than does the corresponding Tat α-peptide.

We synthesized peptide-resin conjugates (1 and 2) by immobilizing β-sheet antibacterial peptide and α helical antibacterial peptide on PEG-PS resin, respectively. Conjugate 1 showed considerable antibacterial activity in various conditions, whereas conjugate 2 did not exhibit antibacterial activity. The growths of various bacteria were inhibited by conjugate 1 even at lower concentrations than ...

The pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is brain deposition of senile plaques composed predominantly of amyloid fibrils. These conformational structures, characteristic of many other human disorders, are formed mainly by the amyloid-β peptide Aβ42. This peptide, which is primarily disordered and soluble as an isolated monomer, can undergo an aggregation and fibrillation process that re...

Candida albicans is the most prevalent cause of hospital-acquired fungal infections and forms biofilms on indwelling medical devices that are notoriously difficult to treat or remove. We recently demonstrated that the colonization of C. albicans on the surfaces of catheter tube segments can be reduced in vitro by coating them with polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) that release a potent antifun...

The consequences of recent experimental finding that hydrogen bonds of the antiparallel β-sheet in nonspecific binding site of serine proteases become significantly shorter and stronger synchronously with the catalytic act are examined. We investigate the effect of the transformation of an ordinary hydrogen bond into a low-barrier one on the crankshaft motion a peptide group in the anti-paralle...

AIMS/INTRODUCTION The objective of the present study was to clarify the validity of β-cell function-related parameters for predicting the insulin requirement of Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 188 patients with type 2 diabetes who had been admitted to the University of Toyama Hospital (Toyama, Japan) without receiving insulin therapy, we carried out a cross-section...

Understanding the structure of polyglutamine (polyQ) amyloid-like fibril aggregates is crucial to gaining insights into the etiology of at least ten neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease. Here, we determine the structure of D2Q10K2 (Q10) fibrils using ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD). Using UVRR, we determine the fibril peptide ba...

The complex pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is the basis for providing therapeutic treatment various disorders, which ensures a better glucose-lowering potential and maintenance glycemic control as disease progresses. A key reason poor clinical inertia, can be overcome by using antidiabetic fixed-dose combinations (FC). Their use improves control, multidirectional action combinati...