Electrochemical Bioconjugation of Tryptophan Residues: A Strategy for Peptide Modification

Org Lett. 2024 Jul 5;26(26):5447-5452. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c01662. Epub 2024 Jun 19.

Abstract

Interest in electrocatalytic bioconjugation reactions has surged, particularly for modifying tryptophan and tyrosine residues in proteins. We used a cost-effective graphite felt electrode and low-current methodology to achieve selective bioconjugation of tryptophan with thiophenols, yielding up to 92%. This method exclusively labeled tryptophan residues and incorporated fluorinated tryptophan for NMR analysis. Eight polypeptides, including lanreotide and leuprorelin, were effectively coupled, demonstrating the method's versatility and potential for novel diagnostic and therapeutic agents.

MeSH terms

  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Electrodes
  • Molecular Structure
  • Peptides* / chemistry
  • Peptides, Cyclic / chemistry
  • Somatostatin / analogs & derivatives
  • Somatostatin / chemistry
  • Tryptophan* / chemistry

Substances

  • Tryptophan
  • Peptides
  • lanreotide
  • Somatostatin
  • Peptides, Cyclic