A synthetic approach to structure-function relationships in the murine epidermal growth factor molecule

Murine epidermal growth factor, a 53-amino acid peptide that is mitogenic for a number of cell types, has been synthesized by the solid-phase method. The synthetic peptide is identical to the natural material in amino acid composition, chromatographic behavior, receptor binding, and stimulation of DNA synthesis. Fragments of the EGF molecule corresponding to residues 42-53, 32-53, and 15-53 were constructed as well as the methionine sulfoxide derivative of EGF, [Met(O)21]EGF-(1-53), and a polymeric form of EGF. [Met(O)21]EGF-(1-53) was slightly less active than EGF in receptor binding and stimulation of DNA synthesis. Polymeric EGF was 1/100th as active as EGF, while EGF-(15-53) was less potent than EGF-(1-53) by a factor of 10(4). EGF-(32-53) was even less active and EGF-(43-53) was inactive.