Enzymatic synthesis of activated esters and their subsequent use in enzyme-based peptide synthesis

Chemoenzymatic peptide synthesis is potentially the most cost-efficient technology for the synthesis of short and medium-sized peptides. However, there are still some limitations when challenging peptides, e.g. containing sterically demanding acyl donors, non-proteinogenic amino acids or proline residues, are to be synthesized. To remedy these limitations, special ester moieties have been used that are specifically recognized by the enzyme, e.g. guanidinophenyl, carboxamidomethyl (Cam) or trifluoroethyl (Tfe) esters, which, unfortunately, are notoriously difficult to synthesize chemically. Herein, we demonstrate that Cam and Tfe esters are very useful for Alcalase-CLEA mediated peptide synthesis using sterically demanding and non-proteinogenic acyl donors as well as poor nucleophiles, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, these esters can be efficiently synthesized by using the lipase Cal-B or Alcalase-CLEA. Finally, it is shown that the ester synthesis by Cal-B and subsequent peptide synthesis by Alcalase-CLEA can be performed simultaneously using a two-enzyme-one-pot approach with glycolamide or 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol as additive.

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► Enzymatic synthesis of highly activated trifluoroethyl and carboxamidomethyl esters.
► Enzymatic peptide synthesis using challenging acyl donors such as Val and d-amino acids.
► Enzymatic peptide synthesis using challenging nucleophiles such as Pro and d-amino acids
► Simultaneous ester and subsequent peptide synthesis using two-enzymes in one pot.