However, no C9 H-bond across a residue derived from 2 is
observed in the crystal structures of larger g-peptides 4–7,
where 14-atom H-bonding becomes possible in the segments
composed of 2. We interpret the dominance of C14 H-bonding
among 4–7 as strong evidence that the residue derived from 2
has an intrinsic preference for the 14-helical conformation. In
contrast, our data indicate that the gabapentin residue has a
strong preference for the C9 H-bond: even when the
gabapentin residue could participate in a 14-helix, as in 4–7,
this residue consistently forms the shorter-range H-bond.
Previously we noted that adoption of compact and specific
conformations by unnatural peptidic oligomers requires
subunits that disfavor H-bonds between nearest-neighbor
backbone amide groups.[16]
Our conclusions regarding gabapentin conformational
preferences are consistent with those suggested by crystal
structures of short gabapentin-containing peptides, many of
which feature the C9 H-bonding pattern.[17] This purely local
gabapentin folding pattern does not necessarily lead to a
regular secondary structure, as illustrated by the crystal
structure of a gabapentin tetramer, in which the torsion angles
within the C9 rings vary irregularly along the sequence.[8g] In
contrast, NMR spectroscopic analysis of g-peptide oligomers
containing g4-amino acid residues (i.e., g residues with a side
chain at the carbon next to nitrogen) bearing a bulky side
chain suggest formation of a regular 9-helix.[8h] Other g-
peptide conformations containing multiple C9 H-bonded rings
have been reported as well.[8f,i,j]
Scheme 2. H–H distances in the crystal structures of g-peptides 4-7,
corresponding to medium-range NOE patterns, expected to be charac-
teristic of g-peptide 14-helix formation in solution.
six types of H–H juxtapositions, involving protons on the
backbone or on the first carbon atom of a side chain, that
should give rise to non-sequential NOEs characteristic of the
14-helix (Scheme 2 and Table 3). This analysis reveals that
Table 3: Average H–H distances in crystal structures of 4–7 correspond-
ing to medium-range NOE patterns expected to be characteristic of g-
peptide 14-helix formation in solution.
NOE type
Number of measurements
Distance [ꢀ]
CgH(i) to CaH(i+2)
CgH(i) to NH(i+2)
CgH(i) to Ca(b’)H(i+2)
CgH(i) to NH(i+3)
CbH(i) to NH(i+3)
9
9
9
6
6
9
2.6Æ0.4
2.7Æ0.1
3.4Æ0.4
4.0Æ0.1
4.4Æ0.2
4.0Æ0.1
Cg(b’)H(i) to NH(i+2)
Atomic-resolution data from a series of 14-helical g-
peptides have enabled us to generate definitive structural
parameters for this secondary structure. Furthermore, the
crystallographic data identify key backbone proton NOE
patterns that should be manifested upon 14-helical folding in
solution. These benchmarks are useful both for evaluating
previous NMR spectroscopy studies[6,7,15] and for guiding
future conformational explorations. This level of analysis was
not previously possible among g-peptides; the conformational
preorganization inherent in g-amino acid residues derived
from 2 presumably contributes to the high propensity of
oligomers 3–7 to crystallize and therefore to our success in
acquiring multiple 14-helical structures. Atomic-resolution
conformational analysis of foldamers containing preorgan-
ized b-amino acid residues has provided a foundation for
structure-based designs of b- and a/b-peptides with specific
functions,[5,18] and the conformational insights provided here
should have comparable value for function-based design of g-
peptides.
CgH(i)–CaH(i+2), CgH(i)–NH(i+2), and CgH(i)–Ca(b’)H(i+2)
NOE patterns should be particularly useful, since these H–H
distances are between 2.5 and 3.5 ꢀ in the crystal structures.
(The designation Ca(b’)H indicates a proton on the first carbon
atom (b’) of a side chain attached to the backbone a-carbon
atom.) NMR spectroscopy data reported by Hanessian et al.[6]
for two g-peptide hexamers include numerous NOEs of these
types, which strongly support 14-helix formation. Our crys-
tallographic data identify three additional H–H distances
between 4.0 and 4.5 ꢀ, which might give rise to weak NOEs:
CgH(i)–NH(i+3), CbH(i)–NH(i+3), and Cg(b’)H(i)–NH(i+2).
(Cg(b’)H indicates a proton on the first carbon atom (b’) of a
side chain attached to the backbone g-carbon atom.) NMR
spectroscopy data reported by Seebach et al.[7,15] are largely
consistent with the data in Table 3, but these studies also
revealed NOEs that can now be recognized as inconsistent
with the 14-helix. One six-residue g-peptide displayed a
strong Cg(b’)H(i)–NH(i+3) NOE,[7] but the crystallographic
data indicate that this H–H distance is typically (5.3 Æ 0.2) ꢀ
in the 14-helix (six measurements). Another six-residue g-
Received: February 21, 2011
Published online: May 12, 2011
peptide displayed
a medium-intensity CgH(i)–CaH(i+3)
NOE,[15] but the crystallographic data indicate an H–H
distance of (5.9 Æ 0.2) ꢀ (six measurements). The non-14-
helical NOEs suggest conformational heterogeneity for these
g-peptides in solution.
Keywords: foldamers · helical structures · NMR spectroscopy ·
.
nuclear Overhauser effect · peptides
The gabapentin residue at the N terminus of 3–7 forms a
=
À À
nine-atom-ring H-bond (C O(i) H N(i+2)) in each crystal
structure. Trimer 3 has a second C9 H-bond, across the central
residue, which suggests that this H-bond pattern is energeti-
cally reasonable for g-amino acid residues derived from 2.
damers: Structure, Properties and Applications (Eds.: S. Hecht, I.
Huc), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2007; c) X. Li, Y.-D. Wu, D. Yang,
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 5843 –5846
ꢀ 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
5845