All MDPs were synthesized
on a low loading Rink Amide MBHA resin using an automated synthesizer
with protocols previously reported by our lab.25 (link),32 (link) The crude peptides were dissolved in Milli-Q water and the resulting
solutions were dialyzed. K2(SL)6K2 and K2(TL)6K2 were dialyzed using
100–500 Da cutoff bags, K2(SL)6K2GRGDS and K2(TL)6K2GRGDS using 1000 Da cutoff bags and K(SL)3RG(SL)3KGRGDS and K(TL)2SLRG(TL)3KGRGDS using 2000 Da cutoff bags. Each peptide solution
was dialyzed against Milli-Q water for 3 days, during which the dialysis
water was refreshed twice daily. Postdialysis the peptide was lyophilized
yielding a white peptide powder. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was performed
on a Bruker Autoflex II spectrometer to characterize the purified
peptides.