Structure and conformation of linear peptides. III. Structure of glycyl-glycyl-L-valine.

The tripeptide, glycyl-glycyl-L-valine, crystallizes as a dihydrate in the monoclinic space group P2(1), with a = 5.786(1), b = 7.954(2), c = 14.420(3)A, beta = 93.85(2) degrees, Z = 2. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined to an R-value of 0.040 for 876 observed reflections. The molecule exists as a zwitterion in the crystal. The peptide planes show significant deviations from planarity. The chain conformation resembles a reverse turn if the orientation of the carboxyl group is also taken into account. An intramolecular water bridge links the amino and carboxyl ends of the molecule. The crystal packing involves spatial segregation of polar and nonpolar moieties.