Synthesis of bombyxin-IV, an insulin-like heterodimeric peptide from the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Bombyxin-IV, a molecular species of bombyxin, which is a member of insulin-like heterodimeric peptides of the silkworm Bombyx mori with prothoracicotropic hormone activity, was synthesized. The A- and B-chains of bombyxin-IV containing four and two Cys residues, respectively, were first synthesized separately by solid phase chemistry using Boc protocol. Then they were coupled by stepwise removal of two different protecting groups at the cysteinyl thiols for semiselective formation of disulfide bridges to give bombyxin-IV in 8% yield. The synthetic bombyxin-IV was shown to have chromatographic and biological properties identical with those of natural bombyxin-IV.