Designed beta-Hairpin Peptides with Defined Tight Turn Stereochemistry

The conformational analysis of two synthetic octapeptides, Boc–Leu–Val–Val–D-Pro–L-Ala–Leu–Val–Val–OMe (1) and Boc–Leu–Val–Val–D-Pro–D-Ala–Leu–Val–Val–OMe (2) has been carried out in order to investigate the effect of beta-turn stereochemistry on designed beta-hairpin structures. Five hundred megahertz 1HNMR studies establish that both peptides 1 and 2 adopt predominantly beta-hairpin conformations in methanol solution. Specific nuclear Overhauser effects provide evidence for a type II’ beta-turn conformation for the D-Pro–L-Ala segment in 1, while the NMR data suggest that the type I’ D-Pro–D-Ala b-turn conformation predominates in peptide 2. Evidence for a minor conformation in peptide 2, in slow exchange on the NMR time scale, is also presented. Interstrand registry is demonstrated in both peptides 1 and 2. The crystal structure of 1 reveals two independent molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit, both of which adopt beta-hairpin conformations nucleated by D-Pro–Lala type II’ beta-turns and are stabilized by three cross-strand hydrogen bonds. CD spectra for peptides and 2 show marked differences, presumably as a consequence of the superposition of spectral bands arising from both beta-turn and beta-strand conformations.