Amino Acids and Peptides. XIII. : Synthesis of a Nonacosapeptide Corresponding to the N-Terminal Sequence 1-29 (β-Fragment) of Human Liver Metallothionein II (hMT II) and Its Heavy Metal-Binding Properties

A nonacosapeptide corresponding to the N-terminal sequence 1-29 (β-fragment) of human liver metallothionein II (hMT II) was synthesized by the azide coupling of five peptide fragments [1, 2, 4, 6 and 8], followed by HF deprotection and its heavy metal-binding properties were examined. It was revealed that the Cd-binding ability of the synthetic β-fragment as well as synthetic α-fragment corresponding to the C-terminal sequence 30-61 of hMT II was stronger than that of native rat thionein. Moreover, it was found that both the α-and β-fragments bound preferentially to Cu ions rather than Cd ions.