A comparison of the different helices adopted by α- and β-peptides suggests different reasons for their stability

The right-handed α-helix is the dominant helical fold of α-peptides, whereas the left-handed 3(14)-helix is the dominant helical fold of β-peptides. Using molecular dynamics simulations, the properties of α-helical α-peptides and 3(14)-helical β-peptides with different C-terminal protonation states and in the solvents water and methanol are compared. The observed energetic and entropic differences can be traced to differences in the polarity of the solvent-accessible surface area and, in particular, the solute dipole moments, suggesting different reasons for their stability.