Circular dichroism spectra on angiotensin I1 and analogs, and its truncated N-terminal and C-terminal peptides were determined in fluorinated alcohols under several conditions in the peptide or aromatic spectral regions. The following conclusions were suggested : (a) evidence for a structure for angiotensin 11; (b) evidence for a folding at the N-terminal and C-terminal part of the molecule; (c) an interaction involving the C-terminal residue which decreases progressively when phenylalanine is replaced by isoleucine and then by alanine; (d) the N-terminal amino acid seems to play an important role in the overall conformation of the molecule possibly by interacting with the C-terminus, its absence in the 2-8 heptapeptide giving rise to a more pronounced signal than angiotensin 11; (e) in trifluoroethanol the conformation of these peptides is well defined and fits well with observed structure-activity relationships and observed binding data. There is a loss of this relationship when these solvents are diluted with water.Previous studies on angiotensin 11, Asp-Arg-ValTyr-Ile/Val-His-Pro-Phe, have yielded several suggested conformations including an anti-parallel fi conformation for this peptide, especially in non-polar solvents. Also, previous structure-activity studies of octapeptide analogs of angiotensin I1 have determined the side groups important for biological activity [l -31. However, structure activity data cannot distinguish between side groups involved in peptide-receptor interactions and side groups involved in providing conformational stability to the peptide. To further examine the conformation of the peptide, we have used the technique of circular dichroism (CD) which gives general information about the overall conformation of peptides and proteins. However, the interpretation of data is still difficult for the former compounds. To improve our interpretation of CD spectra for angiotensin-related peptides and to attempt to relate primary structure to conformation to biological activity, we have prepared a series of truncated angiotensionll analogs in which amino acid residues have been eliminated one at a time from either the N-terminus or the C-terminus. These truncated sequences and a few selected octapeptide analogs have been examined in fluorinated alcohols because (a) the peptides have a well-defined conformation in these solvent systems Abbreriations. CD, circular dichroism ; NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance; F,EtOH, trifluoroethanol ; F,iPrOH, hexdfluoroisopropanol; Boc, t-butyloxycarbonyl.[4], which is not true in aqueous solution, and (b) previous studies have indicated that there is a good relationship between the assigned conformation in these solvents and binding characteristics of these peptides to the isolated membranes and 'solubilized receptors' [5 -71.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Meusurement of CD SpectraThe circular dichroism spectra were determined on a Roussel Jouan 185, model1 I1 Diochograph. Absorption spectra were recorded using a Jouan Spectral DF 170 spectrophotometer. Peptide concen...