46668 - Bioactive Peptides and Peptide Analogues

Course contents

Peptides of biological, industrial, agricultural and food interest.  Structure and function of unusual peptides from plants, bacteria, fungi.  Peptide synthesis and production in laboratory and in industry (SPPS - solid phase synthesis, enzymatic synthesis, automatic synthesis, combinatorial synthesis...). Principles and mechanism of action in the interaction between peptides and receptors, enzymes, or membranes. 

Principles of drug peptidomimetic drug design:  from peptides to drugs. 

Pharmacology of peptides. 

Integration between conformational study and investigation of structure activity relationship. 

Neuropeptides. Opioids and analogous, and analgesic action.  Oppioid receptors. 

Natural or synthetic antibiotic peptides. 

Inhibitors of adhesion receptors. 

Peptide hormones. 

Synthetic and modified peptides with special properties for biotechnological, druggist and medical applications:  biomaterials, biosensors;  self-assemblant nanostructures;  applications to biocatalysis;  application to asymmetric catalysis;  glycopeptides for detection of antibodies....

Practice:  synthesis of an opioid peptide by means of an automated synthesizer.  The practice will allow the use of:  nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR);  MALDI;  electrospray-mass (Es-ms);  microwave reactor  (MW).

Readings/Bibliography

Santagada, Caliendo - Peptidi e peptidomimetici - PICCIN

Sewald, Jakubke, Peptides: Chemistry and Biology, Wiley Ed

Assessment methods

oral with exercizes

Teaching tools

power point, slides

Office hours

See the website of Luca Gentilucci