The BH3 alpha-helical mimic BH3-M6 disrupts Bcl-X(L), Bcl-2, and MCL-1 protein-protein interactions with Bax, Bak, Bad, or Bim and induces apoptosis in a Bax- and Bim-dependent manner.

A critical hallmark of cancer cell survival is evasion of apoptosis. This is commonly due to overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), and Mcl-1, which bind to the BH3 α-helical domain of pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bax, Bak, Bad, and Bim, and inhibit their function. We designed a BH3 α-helical mimetic BH3-M6 that binds to Bcl-X(L) and Mcl-1 and prevents their binding to fluorescently labeled Bak- or Bim-BH3 peptides in vitro.

Self-assembly of small peptidomimetic cyclophanes.

The self-assembly of a series of small peptidomimetic cyclophanes in organic solvents was studied. X-ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, and molecular modelling were used to understand the structural features of these self-assembling compounds both at the molecular and supramolecular level. The factors that could influence the formation of gels rather than crystals were studied and a model for the arrangement of molecules in the gel was proposed.

Efficient macrocyclization of U-turn preorganized peptidomimetics: the role of intramolecular H-bond and solvophobic effects.

Simple peptidomimetic molecules derived from amino acids were reacted with meta- and para-bis(bromomethyl)benzene in acetonitrile to very efficiently yield macrocyclic structures. The cyclization reaction does not require high dilution techniques and seems to be insensitive to the size of the formed macrocycle. The analysis of data obtained by (1)H NMR, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, fluorescence measurements, and molecular mechanics indicate that folded conformations can preorganize the system for an efficient cyclization.

Minimalist peptidomimetic cyclophanes as strong organogelators.

L-Valine containing cyclophanes have been shown to gelate organic solvents leading to soft materials with a clear expression of their chirality at the supramolecular level.