Secondary structure determination of human beta-endorphin by 1H NMR spectroscopy

The 1H NMR spectra of human beta-endorphin indicate that the peptide exists in random-coil form in aqueous solution but becomes helical in mixed solvent. Thermal denaturation NMR experiments show that in water there is no transition between 24 and 75 degrees C, while a slow noncooperative thermal unfolding is observed in a 60% methanol-40% water mixed solvent in the same temperature range. These findings are consistent with circular dichroism studies by other workers concluding that beta-endorphin is a random coil in water but that it forms 50% alpha-helix or more in mixed solvents. The peptide in the mixed water-methanol solvent was further studied by correlated spectroscopy (COSY) and nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) experiments. These allow a complete set of assignments to be made and establish two distinct stretches over which the solvent induces formation of alpha-helices: the first occurs between Tyr-1 and Thr-12 and the second between Leu-14 and extending to Lys-28. There is evidence that the latter is capped by a turn occurring between Lys-28 and Glu-31. These helices form at the enkephalin receptor binding site, which is at the amino terminus, and at the morphine receptor binding site, located at the carboxyl terminus [Li, C. H. (1982) Cell (Cambridge, Mass.) 31, 504-505]. Our findings suggest that these two receptors may specifically recognize alpha-helices.