Determination of specific peptide-micelle interactions using NMR spectroscopy

The use of micelles to model membranes and structurally stabilize peptide hormones such that their structures may be determined has many advantages. For example, organic solvents do not mimic the chemically anisotropic environment of the cell membrane, nor do they sufficiently restrict the conformational freedom of the peptide. We have shown that opioid peptides bind strongly and specifically to micelles, such that their structures may be determined using high resolution NMR [1-3].