Article
A Discovery-Oriented Approach to Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis
Journal of Chemical Education
(2012)
Abstract
In this discovery-oriented laboratory experiment, students use solid-phase synthesis techniques to construct a dipeptide containing an unknown amino acid. Following synthesis and cleavage from the polymeric support, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry is employed to identify the unknown amino acid that was used in the peptide coupling. This experiment, performed in two, 3-h laboratory periods, provides an opportunity for students to learn the technique of solid-phase peptide synthesis and to critically evaluate data that they generate in the laboratory. The experiment is suitable for second-semester organic chemistry students as they learn methods for the formation of amide bonds or upper-level biochemistry students as they learn about the primary structures of proteins.
Keywords
- Second-Year Undergraduate,
- Upper-Division Undergraduate,
- Laboratory Instruction,
- Biochemistry,
- Organic Chemistry,
- Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives,
- Amino Acids,
- Bioorganic Chemistry,
- Mass Spectrometry,
- Synthesis.
Disciplines
Publication Date
October 9, 2012
Publisher Statement
The Journal of Chemical Education is published by The American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc., http://pubs.acs.org/journal/jceda8.
Citation Information
Brian B. Brennan, Matthew R. Bockman and Christopher J. Miedema. "A Discovery-Oriented Approach to Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis" Journal of Chemical Education Vol. 89 Iss. 11 (2012) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/brian_brennan/16/