Amino Acids and Peptides. IX. Synthesis of Cysteine-Containing Peptide Fragments Related to Human Hepatic Metallothionein II (hMT II) and Determination of Their Heavy Metal-Binding Properties

Abstract

Eight kinds of cysteine-containing peptides related to human hepatic metallothionein were synthesized by conventional methods. The metal-binding properties of these peptides with Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ were indicated by an increase of ultraviolet absorbance resulting from mercaptide formation. The Cd-binding activities of various peptides obtained here were assessed by measuring the increase in absorbance of mercaptide at 250 nm as a function of the concentration of Cd. The binding abilities of the peptides with Cd differed substancially.