Peptide synthesis

Chemistry
Peptides are synthesized by coupling the carboxyl group or C-terminus of one amino acid to the amino group or N-terminus of another. Due to the possibility of unintended reactions, protecting groups are usually necessary. Chemical peptide synthesis starts at the C-terminal end of the peptide andends at the N-terminus. This is the opposite of protein biosynthesis, which starts at the N-terminal end.

Liquid-phase synthesis
Liquid-phase peptide synthesis is a classical approach to peptide synthesis. It has been replaced in most labs by solid-phase synthesis (see below). However, it retains usefulness in large-scale production of peptides for industrial purposes.

Solid-phase synthesis

SPPS
Coupling step in solid-phase peptide synthesis

Solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), pioneered by Robert Bruce Merrifield, resulted in a paradigm shift within the peptide synthesis community. It is now the accepted method for creating peptides and proteins in the lab in a synthetic manner. SPPS allows the synthesis of natural peptides which are difficult to express in bacteria, the incorporation of unnatural amino acids, peptide/protein backbone modification, and the synthesis of D-proteins, which consist of D-amino acids.
Small solid beads, insoluble yet porous, are treated with functional units ('linkers') on which peptide chains can be built. The peptide will remain covalently attached to the bead until cleaved from it by a reagent such as anhydrous hydrogen fluoride or trifluoroaceticacid. The peptide is thus 'immobilized' on the solid-phase and can be retained during a filtration process, whereas liquid-phase reagents and by-products of synthesis are flushed away.

In our lab we have three semi-automatic synthesizers available that can handle between a couple of 100 milligrams and about 50 grams of resin.

Location: HG 03.130 Hoods 6,7 & 8

Contact: Dr. Dennis Löwik