Publications by authors named "Jose Laxio Arenas"

Novel fluorinated foldamers based on aminomethyl-1,4-triazolyl-difluoroacetic acid (1,4-Tz-CF) units were synthesized and their conformational behaviour was studied by NMR and molecular dynamics. Their activity on the aggregation of the human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) amyloid protein was evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The fluorine labelling of these foldamers allowed the analysis of their interaction with the target protein.

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The 5-fluoro triazole amino acid scaffold prepared by halogen exchange has been incorporated into peptides. From the X-ray diffraction of the 5-fluoro triazole motif, the main observation was an important localization on one side of the negative potential surface. The fluorine atom reveals a cylindrical shape in its deformation electron density.

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The Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche (MESR) is thanked for financial support for José Laxio Arenas. The China Scholarship Council is thanked for financial support for Yaochun Xu. The authors thank Pr.

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Protein-protein interactions involving β-sheet secondary structures have been questioned in many fatal human diseases such as cancer, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. Small selective peptide derivatives and analogues are promising drug candidates for inhibiting this poorly known class of PPIs. In this review, we will highlight the main strategies developed for designing linear and cyclic peptide and peptidomimetic inhibitors of PPIs involving β-sheet structures.

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The local hydrophobicity of an amino acid residue in a peptide sequence can be determined by measuring the hydrophobicity index (φ ) by reversed-phase (RP) HPLC. Herein, the impact on the local hydrophobicity of the replacement of an amide by a monofluoroalkene unit in short peptides is discussed. Monofluoroalkene-containing dipeptides and tripeptides were synthesized, as well as their natural parent compounds, and the hydrophobicity indexes of these short peptides and peptidomimetics were determined.

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