Reaction of the Indole Group with Malondialdehyde: Application for the Derivatization of Tryptophan Residues in Peptides

Mitigation of malondialdehyde-induced protein lipoxidation by epicatechin in whey protein isolate

Malondialdehyde (MDA) can induce lipoxidation in whey protein isolate (WPI). The physicochemical changes in this reaction with or without the presence of a phenolic compound epicatechin (EC) were characterized in this study. Results suggested the content of MDA was significantly reduced during co-incubation of MDA and EC. The addition of EC dose-dependently alleviated MDA-induced protein carbonylation, Schiff base formation and loss of tryptophan fluorescence. The interruption of MDA-binding to WPI was directly visualized by immunoblotting analysis. Observation of the surface microstructure of WPI showed that MDA-induced protein aggregation was partially restored by EC. Meanwhile, EC was found to promote loss of both protein sulfhydryls and surface hydrophobicity due to possible phenol-protein interactions. These observations suggested the potential of EC in the relief of MDA-mediated protein lipoxidation.

Assessing the structural and foaming property changes in egg yolk proteins due to malondialdehyde: Experimental and molecular docking studies

This study evaluated the effects of varying levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) on the structural and foaming properties of the egg yolk proteins (EYPs), and the interaction between them was explored by molecular docking. The results showed that oxidative modification due to MDA increased the carbonyl content of EYPs by 4.49 times. Simultaneously, the total sulfhydryl content was reduced by 21.47%, and the solubility of EYPs was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Continuous oxidation disorders the previously ordered structure of EYPs. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that some proteins underwent crosslinking and aggregation with increased MDA oxidation, aligning with changes in particle size and zeta-potential. Moderate oxidation (<1 mmol/L) enhanced the foaming capacity and foam stability of EYPs. Additionally, molecular docking results uncovered favorable interactions between MDA and specific EYPs, primarily through hydrogen bonding. This research offers valuable insights into managing the functional and quality changes of yolk products during processing.

Clickable tryptophan modification for late-stage diversification of native peptides

As the least abundant residue in proteins, tryptophan widely exists in peptide drugs and bioactive natural products and contributes to drug-target interactions in multiple ways. We report here a clickable tryptophan modification for late-stage diversification of native peptides, via catalyst-free C2-sulfenylation with 8-quinoline thiosulfonate reagents in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). A wide range of groups including trifluoromethylthio (SCF3), difluoromethylthio (SCF2H), (ethoxycarbonyl)difluoromethylthio (SCF2CO2Et), alkylthio, and arylthio were readily incorporated. The rapid reaction kinetics of Trp modification and full tolerance with other 19 proteinogenic amino acids, as well as the super dissolving capability of TFA, render this method suitable for all kinds of Trp-containing peptides without limitations from sequences, hydrophobicity, and aggregation propensity. The late-stage modification of 15 therapeutic peptides (1.0 to 7.6 kilodaltons) and the improved bioactivity and serum stability of SCF3- and SCF2H-modified melittin analogs illustrated the effectiveness of this method and its potential in pharmacokinetic property improvement.

Effect of Alkyl Peroxyl Radical Oxidation on the Oxidative Stability of Walnut Protein Emulsions and Their Adsorbed Proteins

Walnuts are high in protein content and rich in nutrients and are susceptible to oxidation during production and processing, leading to a decrease in the stability of walnut protein emulsions. In this paper, the effect of alkyl peroxyl radical oxidation on the stability of walnut protein emulsions is investigated. With the increase of 2,2-azobis (2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH) concentration, both its protein and fat were oxidized to different degrees, and the droplets of the emulsion were first dispersed and then aggregated as seen from the laser confocal, and the stability of walnut protein emulsion was best at the AAPH concentration of 0.2 mmol/L. In addition to this, the adsorption rate of adsorbed proteins showed a decreasing and then an increasing trend with the increase in the oxidized concentration. The results showed that moderate oxidation (AAPH concentration: 0-0.2 mmol/L) promoted an increase in protein flexibility and a decrease in the protein interfacial tension, leading to the decrease in emulsion droplet size and the increase of walnut protein emulsion stability, and excessive oxidation (AAPH concentration: 1-25 mmmol/L) weakened protein flexibility and electrostatic repulsion, making the walnut protein emulsion less stable. The results of this study provide theoretical references for the quality control of walnut protein emulsions.

Neuroprotective effects of chlorogenic acid against oxidative stress in rats subjected to lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus

Epilepsy is a condition marked by sudden, self-sustained, and recurring brain events, showcasing unique electro-clinical and neuropathological phenomena that can alter the structure and functioning of the brain, resulting in diverse manifestations. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) can be very effective in 30% of patients in controlling seizures. Several factors contribute to this: drug resistance, individual variability, side effects, complexity of epilepsy, incomplete understanding, comorbidities, drug interactions, and no adherence to treatment. Therefore, research into new AEDs is important for several reasons such as improved efficacy, reduced side effects, expanded treatment options, treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy, improved safety profiles, targeted therapies, and innovation and progress. Animal models serve as crucial biological tools for comprehending neuronal damage and aiding in the discovery of more effective new AEDs. The utilization of antioxidant agents that act on the central nervous system may serve as a supplementary approach in the secondary prevention of epilepsy, both in laboratory animals and potentially in humans. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a significant compound, widely prevalent in numerous medicinal and food plants, exhibiting an extensive spectrum of biological activities such as neuroprotection, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects, among others. In this research, we assessed the neuroprotective effects of commercially available CGA in Wistar rats submitted to lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) model. After 72-h induction of SE, rats received thiopental and were treated for three consecutive days (1st, 2nd, and 3rd doses). Next, brains were collected and studied histologically for viable cells in the hippocampus with staining for cresyl-violet (Nissl staining) and for degenerating cells with Fluoro-Jade C (FJC) staining. Moreover, to evaluate oxidative stress, the presence of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was quantified. Rats administered with CGA (30 mg/kg) demonstrated a significant decrease of 59% in the number of hippocampal cell loss in the CA3, and of 48% in the hilus layers after SE. A significant reduction of 75% in the cell loss in the CA3, shown by FJC+ staining, was also observed with the administration of CGA (30 mg/kg). Furthermore, significant decreases of 49% in MDA production and 72% in the activity of SOD were seen, when compared to animals subjected to SE that received vehicle. This study introduces a novel finding: the administration of CGA at a dosage of 30 mg/kg effectively reduced oxidative stress induced by lithium-pilocarpine, with its effects lasting until the peak of neural damage 72 h following the onset of SE. Overall, the research and development of new AEDs are essential for advancing epilepsy treatment, improving patient outcomes, and ultimately enhancing the quality of life for individuals living with epilepsy.

Effect of Malondialdehyde on the Digestibility of Beef Myofibrillar Protein: Potential Mechanisms from Structure to Modification Site

Lipid oxidation and protein oxidation occur side by side in meat. Here, the effect of malondialdehyde (MDA), the major product of lipid oxidation, on the digestibility of beef myofibrillar proteins (MP) was studied. MP samples were incubated with 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 mM MDA at 4 °C for 12 h and then subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The result showed that MDA remarkably reduced the digestibility of MP (p < 0.05). MDA treatments significantly increased carbonyl and Schiff base contents in MP (p < 0.05). The microstructure observed by atomic force microscopy showed that MDA treatments resulted in the aggregation of MP. Non-reducing and reducing electrophoresis suggested the aggregation was mainly caused by covalent bonds including disulfide bond and carbonyl−amine bond. Proteomics analysis proved that the myosin tail was the main target of MDA attack, meanwhile, lysine residues were the major modification sites. Taken together, the above results imply that MDA induces protein oxidation, aggregation, and blockage of hydrolysis sites, consequently leading to the decrease in both gastric and gastrointestinal digestibility of MP.

Visible-Light Mediated Tryptophan Modification in Oligopeptides Employing Acylsilanes

A method for the selective tryptophan modification and labelling of tryptophan-containing peptides is described. Photoirradiation of acylsilanes generates reactive siloxycarbenes which undergo H-N-insertion into the indole moiety of tryptophan to give stable silyl protected hemiaminals. This method is successfully applied to chemically modify various tryptophan containing oligopeptides. The method enables the selective introduction of alkynes to peptides that are eligible for further alkyne-azide click chemistry. In addition, the dansyl fluorophore can be conjugated to a peptide using this approach.

Site-Selective Functionalization of Methionine Residues via Photoredox Catalysis

Bioconjugation technologies have revolutionized the practice of biology and medicine by allowing access to novel biomolecular scaffolds. New methods for residue-selective bioconjugation are highly sought to expand the toolbox for a variety of bioconjugation applications. Herein we report a site-selective methionine bioconjugation protocol that uses photoexcited lumiflavin to generate open-shell intermediates. This reduction-potential-gated strategy enables access to residues unavailable with traditional nucleophilicity-based conjugation methods. To demonstrate the versatility and robustness of this new protocol, we have modified various proteins and further utilized this functional handle to append diverse biological payloads.

Chemical modifications of tryptophan residues in peptides and proteins

Chemical protein modifications facilitate the investigation of natural posttranslational protein modifications and allow the design of proteins with new functions. Proteins can be modified at a late stage on amino acid side chains by chemical methods. The indole moiety of tryptophan residues is an emerging target of such chemical modification strategies because of its unique reactivity and low abundance. This review provides an overview of the recently developed methods of tryptophan modification at the peptide and protein levels.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Protein Footprinting for Higher-Order Structure Analysis: Fundamentals and Applications

Proteins adopt different higher-order structures (HOS) to enable their unique biological functions. Understanding the complexities of protein higher-order structures and dynamics requires integrated approaches, where mass spectrometry (MS) is now positioned to play a key role. One of those approaches is protein footprinting. Although the initial demonstration of footprinting was for the HOS determination of protein/nucleic acid binding, the concept was later adapted to MS-based protein HOS analysis, through which different covalent labeling approaches "mark" the solvent accessible surface area (SASA) of proteins to reflect protein HOS. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX), where deuterium in D2O replaces hydrogen of the backbone amides, is the most common example of footprinting. Its advantage is that the footprint reflects SASA and hydrogen bonding, whereas one drawback is the labeling is reversible. Another example of footprinting is slow irreversible labeling of functional groups on amino acid side chains by targeted reagents with high specificity, probing structural changes at selected sites. A third footprinting approach is by reactions with fast, irreversible labeling species that are highly reactive and footprint broadly several amino acid residue side chains on the time scale of submilliseconds. All of these covalent labeling approaches combine to constitute a problem-solving toolbox that enables mass spectrometry as a valuable tool for HOS elucidation. As there has been a growing need for MS-based protein footprinting in both academia and industry owing to its high throughput capability, prompt availability, and high spatial resolution, we present a summary of the history, descriptions, principles, mechanisms, and applications of these covalent labeling approaches. Moreover, their applications are highlighted according to the biological questions they can answer. This review is intended as a tutorial for MS-based protein HOS elucidation and as a reference for investigators seeking a MS-based tool to address structural questions in protein science.

Effects of malondialdehyde as a byproduct of lipid oxidation on protein oxidation in rabbit meat

The effects of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a byproduct of lipid oxidation on myoglobin and myofibrillar proteins (MP) oxidations in muscle homogenates containing components native to rabbit muscle were investigated. For myoglobin, MDA could lead to increase in metmyoglobin percentage. For MP, MDA could promote protein carbonylation and loss of tryptophan fluorescence. In addition, MDA could affect reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating system by promoting the formation of hypervalent myoglobin species and release of non-heme iron. The result of MDA-MP adducts fluorescence intensity indicated that ROS-generating systems may be the main reason for protein carbonylation at the later of incubation treatment. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that the ability of ROS-generating systems to facilitate protein oxidation was enhanced with MDA, which was responsible for the formation of protein cross-linking throughout incubation treatment. Taken together, the ability of MDA on promoting the oxidation of MP in rabbit muscle homogenates may be relied on both adduct reactions and the influence on ROS-generating system.

Site-specific incorporation of quadricyclane into a protein and photocleavage of the quadricyclane ligation adduct

The quadricyclane (QC) ligation is a bioorthogonal reaction between a quadricyclane moiety and a nickel bis(dithiolene) derivative. Here we show that a QC amino acid can be incorporated into a protein site-specifically using the pyrrolysine-based genetic code expansion platform, and subsequently used for ligation chemistry. Additionally, we exploited the photolability of the QC ligation product to render the adduct cleavable with a handheld UV lamp. We further developed a protein purification method that involves QC ligation of biotin to a protein of interest, capture on streptavidin resin, and finally release using only UV light. The QC ligation thus brings novel chemical manipulations to the realm of bioorthogonal chemistry.

Additive-Free Pd-Catalysed C-2 Arylation of Tryptophan Derivatives with Diaryliodonium Salts

An efficient, mild and Pd-catalysed C-2 arylation of Fmoc-L-tryptophan with diaryliodonium salts has been developed, giving easy access to C-2 arylated tryptophan derivatives. This protocol tolerates a variety of functional groups and proceeds smoothly in high yields without any additives. In addition, the chemoseletive C–H arylation with unsymmetrical salts is described.

Post-synthetic modification of tryptophan containing peptides via NIS mediation

A new method to provide modified tryptophan peptides through NIS mediated N²-selective coupling of a Trp unit with 1,2,3-triazoles, of which, the preliminary spectral properties were studied.

Effect of malondialdehyde on the ovalbumin structure and its interactions with T84 epithelial cells

BACKGROUND

Protein oxidation can occur as a consequence of lipid peroxidation during food processing. The aim of this work was to explore the effect of malondialdehyde (MDA) modification of ovalbumin (OVA) on its interaction with T84 intestinal cells.

METHODS

Molecular dynamics simulation was employed for the prediction of MDA modification in the OVA, while introduced structural changes were evaluated by measurement of carbonyl group content, fluorescence spectra, MS/MS analysis, and IgE reactivity. Effects of MDA modified OVA on T84 epithelial cells were analyzed by gene expression for pro-inflammatory cytokines and protein secretion.

RESULTS

Out of 9 predicted, five modified Lys residues were confirmed by MS/MS analysis: ⁵¹TQINKVVR⁵⁸, ⁸⁵DILNQITKPNDVYSFSLASR¹⁰⁴, ¹¹¹YPILPEYLQCVKELYR¹²⁶, ¹⁸⁷AFKDEDTQAMPFR¹⁹⁹, ²⁷⁷KIKVYLPR²⁸⁴, and ²⁷⁸IKVYLPR²⁸⁴. The introduced MDA modifications influenced profile of IgE reactivity to OVA. Treatment of T84 epithelial cells with OVA and OVA modified with 1mM MDA, induced up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-25, IL-33, TSLP and TNFα), while OVA modification with 10mM MDA induced down regulation of the cytokine expression profile, except for IL-1β. OVA and OVA modified with 1mM MDA induced secretion of epithelial cells specific cytokine IL-33.

CONCLUSIONS

This finding indicated that OVA and its MDA modified form have the potential to trigger the innate immunity by inducing up-regulation and secretion of pro-allergenic IL-33 in T84 intestinal epithelial cells.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Interactions of ovalbumin and its MDA modified form with intestinal epithelial cells can induce a specific immunological priming necessary for the downstream activation of innate immunity.

Developments and recent advancements in the field of endogenous amino acid selective bond forming reactions for bioconjugation

Bioconjugation methodologies have proven to play a central enabling role in the recent development of biotherapeutics and chemical biology approaches. Recent endeavours in these fields shed light on unprecedented chemical challenges to attain bioselectivity, biocompatibility, and biostability required by modern applications. In this review the current developments in various techniques of selective bond forming reactions of proteins and peptides were highlighted. The utility of each endogenous amino acid-selective conjugation methodology in the fields of biology and protein science has been surveyed with emphasis on the most relevant among reported transformations; selectivity and practical use have been discussed.

Effects of malondialdehyde modification on the in vitro digestibility of soy protein isolate

Soy protein isolate (SPI) was modified by lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), and the in vitro digestibility of modified SPI was investigated. Results indicated that incubation with increasing MDA concentration resulted in significant carbonyl group generation and loss of free amino groups of SPI. Fluorescence loss of natural tryptophan and formation of Schiff base were observed. Noncovalent interaction between molecules was enhanced and became the main force that led to the solubility reduction of MDA-modified SPI. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated that SPI had higher thermal stability and lower total calorimetric enthalpy after MDA pretreatment. Electrophoresis showed that β-conglycinin was more sensitive to MDA modification. In vitro digestion indicated that MDA could induce non-disulfide covalent polymer of SPI, which could not be digested by pepsin and pancreatin. β subunits of β-conglycinin became more resistant to digestion with increasing MDA concentration. Evaluation of the free amino acid profile in the digests indicated that MDA-modified SPI had deteriorating nutritive quality.

Fast mass spectrometry detection of tryptophan-containing peptides and proteins by reduction with pyridine-borane

In this note, we describe a method devised to detect, by means of mass spectrometry (MS), tryptophan-containing peptides and proteins using pyridine-borane. This reagent selectively reduces tryptophan residues, converting them to 2,3-dihydro-tryptophan, thereby enabling quantitation of tryptophans.

Nucleophile-catalyzed additions to activated triple bonds. Protection of lactams, imides, and nucleosides with MocVinyl and related groups

Additions of lactams, imides, (S)-4-benzyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one, 2-pyridone, pyrimidine-2,4-diones (AZT derivatives), or inosines to the electron-deficient triple bonds of methyl propynoate, tert-butyl propynoate, 3-butyn-2-one, N-propynoylmorpholine, or N-methoxy-N-methylpropynamide in the presence of many potential catalysts were examined. DABCO and, second, DMAP appeared to be the best (highest reaction rates and E/Z ratios), while RuCl3, RuClCp*(PPh3)2, AuCl, AuCl(PPh3), CuI, and Cu2(OTf)2 were incapable of catalyzing such additions. The groups incorporated (for example, the 2-(methoxycarbonyl)ethenyl group that we name MocVinyl) serve as protecting groups for the above-mentioned heterocyclic CONH or CONHCO moieties. Deprotections were accomplished via exchange with good nucleophiles: the 1-dodecanethiolate anion turned out to be the most general and efficient reagent, but in some particular cases other nucleophiles also worked (e.g., MocVinyl-inosines can be cleaved with succinimide anion). Some structural and mechanistic details have been accounted for with the help of DFT and MP2 calculations.

Applications of reversible covalent chemistry in analytical sample preparation

Reversible covalent chemistry (RCC) adds another dimension to commonly used sample preparation techniques like solid-phase extraction (SPE), solid-phase microextraction (SPME), molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) or immuno-affinity cleanup (IAC): chemical selectivity. By selecting analytes according to their covalent reactivity, sample complexity can be reduced significantly, resulting in enhanced analytical performance for low-abundance target analytes. This review gives a comprehensive overview of the applications of RCC in analytical sample preparation. The major reactions covered include reversible boronic ester formation, thiol-disulfide exchange and reversible hydrazone formation, targeting analyte groups like diols (sugars, glycoproteins and glycopeptides, catechols), thiols (cysteinyl-proteins and cysteinyl-peptides) and carbonyls (carbonylated proteins, mycotoxins). Their applications range from low abundance proteomics to reversible protein/peptide labelling to antibody chromatography to quantitative and qualitative food analysis. In discussing the potential of RCC, a special focus is on the conditions and restrictions of the utilized reaction chemistry.

Oxidative modification of native protein residues using cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate

A new protein modification strategy has been developed that is based on an oxidative coupling reaction that targets electron-rich amino acids. This strategy relies on cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN) as an oxidation reagent and results in the coupling of tyrosine and tryptophan residues to phenylene diamine and anisidine derivatives. The methodology was first identified and characterized on peptides and small molecules, and was subsequently adapted for protein modification by determining appropriate buffer conditions. Using the optimized procedure, native and introduced solvent-accessible residues on proteins were selectively modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and small peptides. This unprecedented bioconjugation strategy targets these under-utilized amino acids with excellent chemoselectivity and affords good-to-high yields using low concentrations of the oxidant and coupling partners, short reaction times, and mild conditions.

Development of an indole-based chemically cleavable linker concept for immobilizing bait compounds for protein pull-down experiments

A novel linker chemistry based on a malondialdehyde-indole condensation reaction has been developed for the affinity-independent elution of targeted protein pull-downs. Previously developed in our lab for the tagging of tryptophan residues on proteins or peptides, the concept was extended for the design of a chemically cleavable linker system. Target molecules for interaction studies are immobilized on a solid support including the linker scaffold, and a typical pull-down experiment is carried out. After purification, the linker is cleaved by incubation with 50 mM pyrrolidine. A specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor, bosutinib, was coupled to agarose and acrylamide beads, respectively, via the new linker system, and a protein pull-down experiment of putative interaction partners from a K562 whole cell lysate was performed. The system was found to be compatible with targeted protein pull-downs; during the cleavage step, no protein hydrolysis or any degradation of amino acid side-chains was apparent. From the pull-down experiment, key targets of bosutinib such as the tyrosine kinase, Btk, were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Indole and its alkyl-substituted derivatives protect erythrocyte and DNA against radical-induced oxidation

The antioxidant properties of 1,2,3,4-tetra-hydrocarbazole, 6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocar-bazole (MTC), 2,3-dimethylindole, 5-methoxy-2,3-dimethylindole, and indole were investigated in the case of hemolysis of human erythrocytes and oxidative damage of DNA induced by 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane hydrochloride) (AAPH), respectively. The aim of this work was to explore the influence of methoxy, methyl, and cyclohexyl substituents on the antioxidant activities of indole derivatives. These indole derivatives were able to protect erythrocytes and DNA in a concentration-dependent manner. The alkyl-substituted indole can protect erythrocytes and DNA against AAPH-induced oxidation. Especially, the structural features of cyclohexyl and methoxy substituents made MTC the best antioxidant among the indole derivatives used herein. Finally, the interaction between these indole derivatives and 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical cation and 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, respectively, provided direct evidence for these indole derivatives to scavenge radicals and emphasized the importance of electron-donating groups for the free radical-scavenging activity of indole derivatives.

Toxicity of a serotonin-derived neuromelanin

Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) is associated with increased mortality in the elderly and may occur from lipid peroxidation in aging. We previously showed that sevoflurane sequesters acrolein, which promotes the formation of a novel species of a putative neuromelanin. The current study examined the properties of this serotonin-derived melanoid (SDM). The interaction of SDM with unilamellar vesicles (ULVs) was examined using lipid membrane probes. Vesicle disruption was investigated by leakage of dye from calcein-loaded ULVs. We observed that SDM decreased diphenyl-hexatriene fluorescence anisotropy and increased the temperature-dependent change in anisotropy. SDM changed the absorbance of merocyanin-bound ULVs. SDM increased detergent-mediated calcein leakage. SDM structure was dramatically altered upon interaction with ULVs. We also observed that SDM enhanced detergent-mediated leakage of loaded ULVs, suggesting that SDM may be neurotoxic. We propose that inhalational agents, which sequester acrolein, may promote the production of certain species of neuromelanin that depletes local serotonin and enhances neuronal vulnerability.

Chemoselective tryptophan labeling with rhodium carbenoids at mild pH

Significant improvements have been made to a previously reported tryptophan modification method using rhodium carbenoids in aqueous solution, allowing the reaction to proceed at pH 6-7. This technique is based on the discovery that N-(tert-butyl)hydroxylamine promotes indole modification with rhodium carbenoids over a broad pH range (2-7). This methodology was demonstrated on peptide and protein substrates, generally yielding 40-60% conversion with excellent tryptophan chemoselectivity. The solvent accessibility of the indole side chains was found to be a key factor in successful carbenoid addition, as demonstrated by conducting the reaction at temperatures high enough to cause thermal denaturation of the protein substrate. Progress toward the expression of proteins bearing solvent accessible tryptophan residues as reactive handles for modification with rhodium carbenoids is also reported.