Synthesis and biological evaluation of destruxin A and related analogs.

T Ast, E Barron, L Kinne, M Schmidt, L Germeroth, K Simmons, H Wenschuh

Index: J. Pept. Res. 58(1) , 1-11, (2001)

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Abstract

This report describes the development of an efficient solid-phase synthesis protocol and adaptation of reported solution phase procedures for the synthesis of the cyclic depsihexapeptide destruxin A and related analogs. The solid-phase method described is based on standard Fmoc peptide chemistry, including a new synthetic method for the assembly of the depsi bond-containing unit. In order to select analogs of destruxin A for synthesis and evaluation of insecticidal activity, the work of Hellberg et al., describing a set of Z-descriptors for amino acid side-chains comparing their physicochemical properties, was utilized. Destruxin A and 27 different analogs with structural variations in four residues were synthesized and insecticidal activity was evaluated via injections into tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens) larvae. Several destruxin A analogs were found to be at least as potent as the native compound.