Peptide Synthesis: Methods and Protocols

The development of the field of peptide synthesis has been integral in studying their physiological role in living systems as well as their use in developing therapeutics for many human diseases. From the early work of Emil Fischer to the advent of solid-phase peptide synthesis by R. Bruce Merrifield to today, peptide synthesis continues to evolve, allowing access to increasingly complex and previously unobtainable peptides in the lab. In this chapter, we give a brief history of peptide synthesis and outline some of the most used protecting groups, resins, linkers, and coupling methodologies. We end the chapter with a brief description of commonly used peptide modifications and give examples produced in the author’s laboratory.