Molecular Recognition of Oligopeptides and Protein Surfaces - Designing Receptors for the Next Generation of Biosensors - page 65

Molecular Recognition of Oligopeptides
and Protein Surfaces

Hannes Y. Kuchelmeister and Carsten Schmuck

Abstract Many physiological functions of life are controlled by the interplay
between natural or synthetic agents with their corresponding receptors in the
human body (Highlights in bioorganic chemistry: methods and applications.
Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2000). Such molecular recognition events are based on
the combination of many weak attractive non-covalent interactions between receptor
and substrate, such as electrostatic, dipole, and dispersion interactions, -stacking, and

hydrogen bonding, together with entropic contributions, as, for example, the liberation
of solvent molecules (Core concepts in supramolecular chemistry and nanochemistry.
Wiley-VCH, West Sussex, 2007; Angew Chem Int Ed 46:2366-2393, 2007). To gain a
more detailed insight into these complex processes, which are currently not entirely
understood in all their complexity, the development of synthetic model systems is
worthwhile. Within this chapter, selected illustrative examples of artificial receptors for
biologically relevant targets such as oligopeptides or protein surfaces will be presented.
A directed molecular recognition of these building blocks of life will lead to an increase
in knowledge concerning the complex recognition processes taking place within the
human body and in the best case will allow for biological processes to be directly
targeted and can thus be used for future applications in analytical, biological, or
medicinal chemistry.

p

Keywords Artificial receptors, Host-guest chemistry, Supramolecular chemistry,
Peptides

H.Y. Kuchelmeister and C. Schmuck ( * )
Institute for Organic Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universit atsstr. 7, 45117 Essen,

€

Germany
e-mail: [e-mail]