Analysis of the structure-activity relationships of ranatuerin-5M7 (RT5M7) analogues generated by ‘Rana box’ splicing

Therefore, the approach of grafting modified peptides with the 'Rana box' structure was applied. This thesis involved the design and grafting of different 'Rana box' structures onto RT5M7, followed by a study of the physicochemical properties and structures of the resulting analogues. Importantly, the selected 'Rana box' structures for grafting were sourced from peptides with inherent activity advantages.<br><br>The parent peptide and all analogues underwent basic screening for antibacterial and anticancer activities.

Compared to the parent peptide RT5M7, all modified peptides exhibited reduced inhibition concentrations against certain bacteria, with the most significant improvement observed against Escherichia coli (E. coli). This improvement might be correlated with the increased charge and helical structure of the modified peptides. Additionally, some modified peptides displayed inhibitory<br>activity against cancer cell proliferation.

A series of experiments were conducted to explore in-depth, the mechanisms behind the antibacterial and anticancer properties of the most promising analogues, along with their structure/activity relationships.<br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed until 31 July 2029.</i>