Simulations of oligopeptide vibrational CD: effects of isotopic labeling

Ab initio quantum mechanical models of peptide helices and their vibrational spectra

Structural parameters for standard peptide helices (alpha, 3(10), 3(1) left-handed) were fully ab initio optimized for Ac-(L-Ala)(9)-NHMe and for Ac-(L-Pro)(9)-NHMe (poly-L-proline-PLP I and PLP II-forms), in order to better understand the relative stability and minimum energy geometries of these conformers and the dependence of the ir absorption and vibrational CD (VCD) spectra on detailed variation in these conformations. Only the 3(10)-helical Ala-based conformation was stable in vacuum for this decaamide structure, but both Pro-based conformers minimized successfully. Inclusion of solvent effects, by use of the conductor-like screening solvent model (COSMO), enabled ab initio optimizations [at the DFT/B3LYP/SV(P) level] without any constraints for the alpha- and 3(10)-helical Ala-based peptides as well as the two Pro-based peptides. The geometries obtained compare well with peptide chain torsion angles and hydrogen-bond distances found for these secondary structure types in x-ray structures of peptides and proteins. For the simulation of VCD spectra, force field and intensity response tensors were obtained ab initio for the complete Ala-based peptides in vacuum, but constrained to the COSMO optimized torsional angles, due to limitations of the solvent model. Resultant spectral patterns reproduce well many aspects of the experimental spectra and capture the differences observed for these various helical types.

Protein and peptide secondary structure and conformational determination with vibrational circular dichroism

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) provides alternative views of protein and peptide conformation with advantages over electronic (UV) CD (ECD) or IR spectroscopy. VCD is sensitive to short-range order, allowing it to discriminate beta-sheet and various helices as well as disordered structure. Quantitative secondary structure analyses use protein VCD bandshapes, but are best combined with ECD and IR for balance. Much recent work has focused on empirical and theoretical VCD analyses of peptides, with detailed prediction of helix, sheet and hairpin spectra and site-specific application of isotopic substitution for structure and folding.

Spectroscopic characterization of selected beta- sheet hairpin models

The IR and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra of a model two-stranded beta hairpin are compared to those of a related cyclic two-stranded model, which are both stabilized by DPro- Gly turns. The spectra are compared to ab initio based simulations to support specific assignments of the dominant features and suggest a revised interpretation of the IR and VCD spectra for beta sheet containing proteins.

Discrimination between peptide 3(10)- and alpha-helices. Theoretical analysis of the impact of alpha-methyl substitution on experimental spectra

Detailed spectral simulations based on ab initio density functional theory computations of the amide I and II infrared (IR) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra for Ac-(Ala)(4)-NH(2), Ac-(Aib-Ala)(2)-NH(2), and Ac-(Aib)(4)-NH(2) constrained to 3(10)- and alpha-helical conformations are presented. Parameters from these ab initio calculations are transferred onto corresponding larger oligopeptides to simulate the spectra for dodecamers. The differences between conformations and for different Aib substitution patterns within a conformation are reflected in observable spectral patterns where data are available. Simulated IR spectra show small frequency shifts in the amide I maxima between 3(10)- and alpha-helices, but the same magnitude shifts occur within one conformation upon Aib substitution. Thus, from a computational basis, the frequency of the amide I maximum does not discriminate between the 3(10)- or alpha-helical conformations. Calculated VCD band shapes for 3(10)-helices showed more significant changes in amplitude, with change in the fraction of Aib, than those for alpha-helices. Generally, with increasing Aib content, the overall amide I VCD intensity becomes weaker and the amide I couplet becomes more conservative, while the amide II VCD is less affected. Although the detailed band shape is shown to be sensitive to alpha-Me substitution, the basic pattern of amide I and II relative VCD intensities still differs between alpha- and 3(10)-helices and, as a consequence, successfully discriminates between them. These predictions are all borne out in experimental spectra of Aib, mixed Aib-Ala, and Ala-based helical peptides, where available.

Spectroscopic properties of tyrosyl radicals in dipeptides

Redox-active tyrosine residues play important roles in long-distance electron reactions in enzymes, including prostaglandin H synthase, galactose oxidase, ribonucleotide reductase, and photosystem II. Magnetic resonance and vibrational spectroscopy provide methods with which to study the structures of redox-active amino acids in proteins. In this report, ultraviolet photolysis was used to generate tyrosyl radicals from polycrystalline tyrosinate or dipeptides, and the structure of the radical was investigated with EPR and reaction-induced FT-IR spectroscopy at 77 K. Photolysis at 77 K is expected to generate a neutral tyrosyl radical through oxidation of the aromatic ring. EPR and FT-IR results obtained from (13)C-labeled tyrosine were consistent with that expectation. Surprisingly, labeling of the tyrosyl amino group with (15)N also resulted in isotope-shifted bands in the photolysis spectrum. The force constant of a NH deformation mode increased when the tyrosyl radical was generated. These data suggest an interaction between the pi system of the tyrosyl radical and the amino group. In spectra acquired from the dipeptides, evidence for a sequence-dependent interaction between the tyrosyl radical and the amide bond of the dipeptide was also obtained. We postulate that perturbation of the amino or the amide/imide groups may occur through a spin polarization mechanism, which is indirectly detected as a change in NH force constant. This conclusion is supported by density functional calculations, which suggest a conformationally sensitive delocalization of spin density onto the amino and carboxylate groups of the tyrosyl radical. These experiments provide a step toward a detailed spectral interpretation for protein-based tyrosyl radicals.

Differentiation of beta-sheet-forming structures: ab initio-based simulations of IR absorption and vibrational CD for model peptide and protein beta-sheets

Ab initio quantum mechanical computations of force fields (FF) and atomic polar and axial tensors (APT and AAT) were carried out for triamide strands Ac-A-A-NH-CH(3) clustered into single-, double-, and triple-strand beta-sheet-like conformations. Models with phi, psi, and omega angles constrained to values appropriate for planar antiparallel and parallel as well as coiled antiparallel (two-stranded) and twisted antiparallel and parallel sheets were computed. The FF, APT, and AAT values were transferred to corresponding larger oligopeptide beta-sheet structures of up to five strands of eight residues each, and their respective IR and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra were simulated. The antiparallel planar models in a multiple-stranded assembly give a unique IR amide I spectrum with a high-intensity, low-frequency component, but they have very weak negative amide I VCD, both reflecting experimental patterns seen in aggregated structures. Parallel and twisted beta-sheet structures do not develop a highly split amide I, their IR spectra all being similar. A twist in the antiparallel beta-sheet structure leads to a significant increase in VCD intensity, while the parallel structure was not as dramatically affected by the twist. The overall predicted VCD intensity is quite weak but predominantly negative (amide I) for all conformations. This intrinsically weak VCD can explain the high variation seen experimentally in beta-forming peptides and proteins. An even larger variation was predicted in the amide II VCD, which had added complications due to non-hydrogen-bonded residues on the edges of the model sheets.

The anomalous infrared amide I intensity distribution in (13)C isotopically labeled peptide beta-sheets comes from extended, multiple-stranded structures: an ab initio study

Ab initio based calculations of force fields and atomic polar tensors are used to simulate amide I infrared absorption spectra for a series of isotopically substituted (Ac-A(12)-NH-CH(3))(n)() peptides clustered in an antiparallel beta-sheet conformation having a varying number of strands, n = 2-5. The results demonstrate that the anomalous intensity previously reported for the isotopically shifted amide I in (13)C labeled peptides is due to formation of multistranded beta-sheet structures in this conformation. Computations show that the characteristic widely split amide I mode for beta-sheet polypeptides as well as this anomalous intensity enhancement in isotopically substituted beta-sheet peptides grows with increasing sheet size. For sheets of five strands, qualitative and near quantitative agreement with experimental amide I intensity patterns is obtained for both labeled and unlabeled peptides. The strongest transitions primarily represent in-phase coupled modes of the (13)C labeled, next nearest neighbor amides on the inner strands of the multistranded beta-sheet. Long-range transition dipole coupling interactions do not promote the (13)C amide I intensity enhancement. Understanding of the IR intensity mechanisms with this level of detail for the isotopically labeled peptides permits design of site-specific probes of beta-sheet folding and unfolding dynamics.

Site-specific conformational determination in thermal unfolding studies of helical peptides using vibrational circular dichroism with isotopic substitution

Understanding the detailed mechanism of protein folding requires dynamic, site-specific stereochemical information. The short time response of vibrational spectroscopies allows evaluation of the distribution of populations in rapid equilibrium as the peptide unfolds. Spectral shifts associated with isotopic labels along with local stereochemical sensitivity of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) allow determination of the segment sequence of unfolding. For a series of alanine-rich peptides that form alpha-helices in aqueous solution, we used isotopic labeling and VCD to demonstrate that the alpha-helix noncooperatively unwinds from the ends with increasing temperature. For these blocked peptides, the C-terminal is frayed at 5 degrees C. Ab initio level theoretical simulations of the IR and VCD band shapes are used to analyze the spectra and to confirm the conformation of the labeled components. The VCD signals associated with the labeled residues are amplified by coupling to the nonlabeled parts of the molecule. Thus small labeled segments are detectable and stereochemically defined in moderately large peptides in this report of site-specific peptide VCD conformational analysis.