Homochiral Preference in Peptide Synthesis in Ribosome: Role of Amino Terminal, Peptidyl Terminal, and U2620

Abstract

Experimental studies have shown that peptide synthesis in ribosome exhibits a homochiral preference. We present, for the first time, an analysis of the origin of the phenomenon using hybrid quantum chemical studies based on a model of peptidyl transferase center from the crystal structure of the ribosomal part of Haloarcula marismortui. The study quantitatively shows that the observed homochiral preference is due to the difference in the nonbonded interaction between amino acids at the A- and P-terminals as well as due to the difference in interaction with the U2620 residue. A major part of the discrimination comes from the variation of nonbonded interaction of rotating A-terminal during the approach of the former toward the P-terminal. The difference indicates that, during the rotatory motion between A- and P-terminals for the proximal positioning of the reactant for reaction to occur, the interaction for a l−l pair is far less repulsive compared to the same process for a d−l pair. The activation barriers for l−l and d−l pairs of the neutral state of phenylalanine leading to corresponding dipeptides are also compared. The corresponding difference in rate constants is 40-fold. The study provides an understanding of how preferred addition of l−l pairs of amino acids rather than d−l pairs leads to retention of homochirality in peptides.