Studies on cytochrome c. XIV. Synthesis of the protected heptadecapeptide (sequence 88-104) of horse heart cytochrome c.

The research paper details the method of solution synthesis of a specific N alpha-benzyloxycarbonylheptadecapeptide, which corresponds to the 88-104 sequence of horse heart cytochrome c. This synthesis is accomplished by preparing two subunits, H1 (sequence 88-96) and H2 (sequence 97-104), and linking them through an azide coupling step.

Solution Synthesis of N alpha-benzyloxycarbonylheptadecapeptide

The main objective of this research is to synthesize a partially protected peptide sequence, using solution synthesis. This peptide is known as N alpha-benzyloxycarbonylheptadecapeptide. The sequence synthesized corresponds to the 88-104 sequence of horse heart cytochrome c.

• Solution synthesis is a method in which the synthesis of a compound or a molecule is accomplished in a liquid phase. This procedure is utilized in this research to synthesize the heptadecapeptide.
• The N alpha-benzyloxycarbonylheptadecapeptide is a specific sequence of 17 amino acids (a heptadecapeptide), which is further protected by benzyloxycarbonyl (Z) and trifluoroacetic acid (Tfa) groups. These protections aid in the prevention of unwanted reactions and thus, enhance the efficiency of the synthesis.

Preparation of Subunits H1 and H2

A significant part of the synthesis process described involves the preparation of subunits H1 and H2.

• H1 represents the peptide sequence from 88 to 96 of the horse heart cytochrome c.
• H2 signifies the peptide sequence from 97 to 104 of the same.
• The division of the peptide sequence into these two subunits is strategic. It simplifies the synthesis process and enhances the precision of the sequence assembly.

Azide Coupling to Link H1 and H2

After the preparation of the subunits, an azide coupling step is undertaken to link them and form the complete peptide sequence.

• Azide coupling is a chemical reaction in which a molecule with an azide group (-N3) reacts with another molecule, leading to their linkage.
• This step is crucial in achieving the complete peptide sequence corresponding to the 88-104 sequence of horse heart cytochrome c.