GPCRs function via the propagation of conformational change through a cell membrane. The 310 helical structure of Aib homopeptides can be biased to favour M or P helicity using an N-terminal stereocontroller, detectable in a C-terminal reporter. Here, a boronic acid receptor binds chiral diols, inducing a helical preference in a peptide, in turn relayed to a C-terminal chiral fluorophore.Demonstration of this principle in synthetic vesicles will lead to nanometre-range artificial transmembrane signalling.

Conformational switching for transmembrane communication

244th National Meeting (2012)

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