Native Chemical Ligation of Peptoid Oligomers
Seraydarian MR, Connolly MD, Zuckermann RN, Kirshenbaum K (2026). Biochemistry.
Summary
A laboratory chemistry paper from New York University and the Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The authors adapted native chemical ligation so two short peptoid chains can be joined head to tail. Peptoids are peptide-like molecules whose backbone resists breakdown by enzymes. The join is a native amide bond and leaves that backbone unchanged, which gives a practical route to much longer, sequence-defined peptoids, including chains that form nanosheets. The reaction is run in water. The authors declare no competing financial interest. This is lab chemistry only; it was not tested in cells, animals or people.