2021 Volume 69 Issue 11 Pages 1097-1103
The structure of an ornithine (Orn)-free Gramicidin S (GS) analogue, cyclo(Val–Nle–Leu–D-Phe–Pro)2 (NGS), was studied. Its circular dichroism (CD) spectrum showed that NGS has a structure similar to GS, though the value of [θ] indicated smaller β-turn and sheet populations. This is probably because the Nle side chain could not form intramolecular hydrogen bonds stabilizing the sheet structure. The chemical shift perturbation of αH and JNH–αH were similar in GS and NGS. Three independent NGS molecules formed intramolecular β-sheet structures in crystal. The turn structures of D-Phe-Pro moieties were classed as type II′ β-turns, but one part was unclassed. The molecules were arranged in a twisting manner, which resulted in the formation of a helical sheet. Similar structural characteristics were observed previously in a Leu-type, Orn-free GS analogue and in GS trifluoroacetic acid salt.