The objectives of the Protein Structure Initiative is to determine the structure of 10,000 proteins from the Human Genome Project. Chemical synthesis is a useful way to produce these proteins particularly when they cannot be efficiently cloned. ProSynth, Inc. has developed technology that allows the synthesis of pure, protected fragments at relatively low cost. In the Excluded Protecting Group method a growing peptide is attached to a steroid """"""""handle"""""""" and purified by gel permeation chromatography after addition of each amino acid residue. Orthogonally protected peptides synthesized this way can then be coupled either in solution or on the solid phase. ProSynth, Inc. will demonstrate its technology by the synthesis and coupling of two peptide fragments that make up the 26-residue protein melittin. This peptide will be characterized for purity and tested for biological activity. In a second experiment the EPG technique will be used to prepare the protein ubiquitin. The six fragments ranging from six to 22 amino acids will be synthesized and to generate the desired product. The focus of this synthesis will be to determine the reaction order for various couplings in order to predict when a desired degree of coupling has been reached.
This technology will allow proteins to be designed and produced. This should allow for protein drugs to be improved yielding superior protein drugs for clinical application.
