Cooperative Adjunct Division

Peptide Institute Inc.

Themes of Research

1. Chemical synthesis of proteins and their structure–function relationship.
2. Synthesis of carbohydrate conjugates and functional evaluation.
3. Chemical synthesis of biologically active peptides and elucidation of their structure–activity relationships.

Our laboratory is mainly involved in the development of synthetic methodologies for producing large peptides, proteins, and carbohydrate conjugates. For the synthesis of large peptides or proteins, we employ the segment condensation method, applying the maximum protection strategy in solution. Peptide segments can be synthesized using our solid-phase synthetic strategy, and each segment is coupled in solution to obtain long protected peptides that are subsequently treated with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride to obtain free peptides. To overcome the problems encountered during synthesis, we are developing protection groups and/or solvent systems that are amenable to use in our synthetic strategy. For peptides containing multiple cystine residues, the variety of disulfide bonds that may be formed in each molecule are analyzed, and the relationship between conformation and the ratio of disulfide isomers is investigated. In the synthesis of carbohydrate conjugates, we evaluate the stability of glycosidic bonds composed of several types of sugars under our deprotecting conditions, and we develop synthetic strategies to improve the carbohydrate moiety.

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying several biological phenomena, we improve methods for supplying reliable synthetic samples of peptides and carbohydrate conjugates to research collaborators.