Enhanced peptide beta-sheet affinity by metal to ligand coordination

A histidine-coordinating metal complex substituted with methoxypyrrole amino acids (MOPAS) as a peptide beta-sheet bonder shows high affinity for a H2N-His-Leu-Leu-Val-Phe-OMe pentapeptide in DMSO solution. Within the complex, a beta-sheet conformation is induced into the pentapeptide by weak intra-assembly interactions with the MOPAS units.