Chemical "Butterfly Effect" Explaining the Coordination Chemistry and Antimicrobial Properties of Clavanin Complexes.

Can a minor difference in the nonmetal binding sequence of antimicrobial clavanins explain the drastic change in the coordination environment and antimicrobial efficiency? This study answers the question with a definite "yes", showing the details of the bioinorganic chemistry of Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes with clavanins, histidine-rich, antimicrobial peptides from hemocytes of the tunicate Styela clava.