Description
Chemical Composition
Peptide sequence: Ala-His-Lys (C15H28N6O4 when free)
Metal ion: Cu2+ (copper in its divalent state)
Complex name: Copper tripeptide-1 or AHK-Cu complex
Molecular formula (approximate): C15H28CuN6O4
Molecular weight: ~437.97 g/mol
Molecular Structure
AHK peptide: A short chain of three amino acids — alanine, histidine, and lysine.
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Alanine provides hydrophobic stability.
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Histidine acts as the primary copper-binding residue through its imidazole nitrogen.
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Lysine contributes to electrostatic stability and aids in biological interaction.
When chelated with copper, the histidine’s imidazole nitrogen forms a coordination bond with the copper ion, stabilizing the complex.
