The crystal structures of the synthetic C-terminal octa- and dodecapeptides of trichovirin

The structures of two synthetic peptides with sequences corresponding to th e C-terminal region of the naturally occurring 14-residue peptaibol trichov irin have been determined. The crystal structures of 8- and 12-residue segm ents are presented and are compared with the structures of the tetrapeptide and of the 9-residue segment, which have been reported earlier. A comparis on between these segments leads to the hypothesis that the three-dimensiona l structure of trichovirin is to a large extent determined by the propertie s of a periodically repeating -Aib-Pro- pattern in the sequence of the pept ide. Copyright (C) 1999 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd .