<i>C</i> ‐Glycosyl α‐Amino Acids as Structural Encoders of Peptide Conformation
C-glycosylation is a well-established strategy for improving the pharmacokinetic properties of peptides; however, the influence of chiral C-glycosyl amino acid incorporation on peptide conformation remains insufficiently explored. Most existing synthetic approaches restrict C-glycosyl amino acid placement to the N-terminus, C-terminus, or specific residues containing pre-installed reactive groups. Here, we present a more versatile strategy based on the design and synthesis of customized C-glycosyl amino acids. Four variants bearing protected galactopyranose, ribofuranose, sorbofuranose, or allofuranose side chains were synthesized and incorporated into peptides using a solid-phase methodology, enabling substitution at diverse sequence positions. Detailed NMR analyses revealed that each C-glycosyl α-amino acid promotes distinct conformational preferences, primarily stabilized by hydrogen-bonding networks between backbone amides and carbohydrate side chains. These findings uncover conformational information encoded within four non-canonical C-glycosyl α-amino acids, offering new molecular tools for catalysis, materials development and drug discovery.
Authors
- Ivanka Jerić (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9245-3530)
- Vilko Smrečki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0461-5542)
- Ivana Nikšić‐Franjić (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4498-1229)
- Ivana Colić
- Barbara Bogović
Institutions
- Ruđer Bošković Institute (HR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Published
- 2025-12-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202522704
- Primary Topic
- Carbohydrate Chemistry and Synthesis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00