FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH is a cysteine-derived amino acid derivative featuring a free carboxylic acid (-COOH) and an amino functionality consistent with an amino acid scaffold, with the cysteine side chain bearing a farnesyl thioether substituent. The molecule contains a thiol-derived thioether linkage at the cysteine sulfur position and retains the side-chain methylene and carbon framework characteristic of cysteine, while the farnesyl group introduces a hydrophobic, isoprenoid chain suitable for membrane-mimetic and conjugation-oriented studies. FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH is used as a chemical biology and peptide/protein engineering building block or labeling reagent to introduce a lipid-like farnesyl moiety into larger constructs, and it can serve as a substrate precursor for further derivatization of the amino acid functionality and carboxyl group during synthesis or analytical workflows.
CAT No: CP26464
CAS No:165245-19-2
Synonyms/Alias:165245-19-2;L-Cysteine,N-[3-(2-furanyl)-1-oxo-2-propenyl]-S-(3,7,11-trimethyl-2,6,10-dodecatrienyl)-(9CI);ZINC15721618;AKOS022180443;AJ-67830;AK-60084;N-(3-[2-Furyl]acryloyl)-S-farnesyl-L-cysteine;(R)-2-((E)-3-(Furan-2-yl)acrylamido)-3-(((2E,6E)-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,6,10-trien-1-yl)thio)propanoicacid
FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH is a farnesylated cysteine derivative in which the cysteine thiol is substituted with a farnesyl (sesquiterpene) group and the molecule retains a free carboxylic acid for further coupling chemistry. The structure combines a chiral, amino-acid backbone with a thioether-linked hydrophobic isoprenoid side chain, creating a distinct balance of polarity and membrane-partitioning character that differs from unmodified cysteine. The presence of the carboxylate and amino functionality enables amide and peptide-bond formation, while the farnesyl substituent provides a hydrophobic handle for lipidation-style conjugation and for building hydrophobic peptide or protein mimics. Stereochemical integrity at the cysteine center is typically maintained through chiral amino-acid intermediate strategies, making the compound suitable as a defined stereochemical input for peptide synthesis and downstream biomolecule modification.
1. Lipidated Peptide Synthesis
FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH is applied in peptide building and peptide-coupling workflows where a cysteine-based residue bearing a hydrophobic farnesyl side chain is required for amphiphilic sequence design. The amino acid backbone supports standard N- and C-terminal functionalization logic, while the carboxylic acid group participates in peptide bond formation after appropriate activation. The farnesyl substituent can influence coupling planning by increasing steric and hydrophobic effects, which can be addressed through compatible protecting-group strategies and solvent selection during synthesis. The resulting lipidated peptide analogs can be used to probe membrane association, self-assembly tendencies, and sequence-dependent behavior in peptide science and chemical biology. FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH thus functions as a stereodefined residue for constructing isoprenoid-lipid mimics and related peptide architectures.
2. Bioconjugation And Protein Labeling
FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH is utilized in chemical biology and bioconjugation programs that require cysteine-derived lipid handles for attaching hydrophobic motifs to biomolecules. The free carboxylic acid and amino functionality enable conversion into activated derivatives for conjugation to lysine-rich targets or for incorporation into peptide tags, while the farnesyl group serves as a membrane-interacting anchor. The thioether-linked isoprenoid side chain provides a stable hydrophobic linkage distinct from reversible disulfide chemistries, supporting robust conjugate construction in labeling workflows. The compound can be employed to generate lipidated probes for studying protein localization, trafficking proxies, or receptor microenvironment effects under controlled experimental conditions. FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH thereby supports downstream formation of lipid-conjugated biomolecule reagents and defined hydrophobic labeling intermediates.
3. Peptidomimetic Drug Discovery
FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH is suitable for medicinal chemistry research focused on peptidomimetic design, where cysteine-derived residues are incorporated to emulate lipid-driven binding or membrane localization motifs. The stereochemical cysteine center and the carboxylic acid enable systematic derivatization into amide-linked scaffolds, while the farnesyl substituent provides a hydrophobic pharmacophore element that can modulate conformational preferences. The compound can be converted into side-chain-functionalized intermediates for SAR studies, including analog series where the isoprenoid chain length, saturation, or attachment geometry is systematically varied. The resulting peptidomimetic candidates can be used as defined structural inputs for binding assays, competitive studies, and structure-guided optimization of molecular recognition features. FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH therefore supports amino acid derivatization strategies that connect stereodefined building blocks to downstream scaffold generation.
4. Process Chemistry Intermediate
FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH is applied as a chiral amino-acid-based intermediate in fine chemical synthesis and process chemistry routes that require a cysteine-lipid motif with controlled stereochemistry. The amino-acid functionality supports conversion into protected or activated forms for manufacturing-scale peptide building block preparation, while the carboxylic acid provides a handle for downstream esterification, amidation, or coupling activation. The hydrophobic farnesyl group can be leveraged to drive phase behavior in workup and purification design, and it can also inform selection of protecting groups that remain stable under typical activation conditions. The compound's defined structure supports reproducible intermediate generation for producing lipidated peptides, conjugation reagents, or peptidomimetic fragments used across research and industrial chemical manufacturing. FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH thus serves as a practical stereochemical input for scalable amino acid derivative production and controlled downstream transformations.
5. Analytical Standards And Method Development
FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH is used in analytical research for method development and reference standard preparation involving lipidated amino acid derivatives and peptide-like conjugates. The combination of an amino-acid backbone and a farnesyl group creates a characteristic mass and chromatographic behavior that can support LC-MS or HPLC method calibration for complex mixtures containing lipidated species. The carboxylic acid functionality enables derivatization into standardized forms for consistent detection, while the defined stereochemistry at the cysteine center supports unambiguous identification of stereochemical variants. The compound can be employed to validate analytical workflows that monitor incorporation of hydrophobic amino acid residues into peptides or conjugates. FA-Cys(farnesyl)-OH therefore supports reliable quantitation and structural verification steps in applied amino acid chemistry and conjugate characterization pipelines.
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