Synthesis and Properties of Gramicidin S Analogs Consisting of Eight Amino Acid Residues

Three cyclic octapeptides (des-Val1,1′-gramicidin S, des-Leu3,3′-gramicidin S and des-Val1, Leu3′-gramicidin S), showed no antibiotic activity. Although their CD spectra resembled each other, they differed from that of gramicidin S. These results indicate that the removal of two of the Val and/ or Leu residues at positions 1, 1′, 3, and 3′ of gramicidin S greately affects both the antibiotic activity and conformation.