Peptide interactions, phospholipid secondary structure

Finally, structural investigations of a human calcitonin-derived carrier peptide in a membrane enviromnent by solid-state NMR have been reported. The typical axially symmetric powder patterns of NMR spectra were used to confirm the presence of lamellar bilayers in the samples studied. The chemical shift anisotropy of the NMR spectra was monitored in order to reveal weak interaction of the peptide with the lipid headgroups. In addition, paramagnetic enhancement of relaxation rates and NMR order parameters of the phospholipid fatty acid chains in the absence and presence of the carrier peptide were measured. All peptide signals were resolved and fully assigned in 2D proton-driven spin diffusion experiments. The isotropic chemical shifts of CO, C and provided information about the secondary structure of the carrier peptide. In addition, dipolar eoupling measurements indicated rather high amplitudes of motion of the peptide. 

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