It was pioneered by Bruce Merrifield throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. His technique presented a simple method for the chemical synthesis of peptides and proteins, accomplished by synthesizing peptides opposite of how we synthesize peptides in our body.

In our body, ribosomes build proteins by beginning at the amino-terminal (N-terminus) and ending at the carboxyl-terminal (C-terminus). However, using Merrifield’s technique, the opposite occurs (C-to-N).

Using his method, researchers could now assemble a peptide chain through successive reactions of amino acid derivatives on various insoluble and permeable supports, typically made of multiple resins such as polystyrene. Since SPPS’s introduction, peptide research has grown exponentially.

Moreover, SPPS led to the development of automated peptide synthesizers. These machines drastically simplified and expedited the production of both small peptides and large proteins, a task that was once aggravatingly tedious. Suddenly, preparing multiple peptide samples at once was much easier and faster.

Despite the technique’s success, several peptide researchers remained quite critical after its introduction and adoption. These critiques focused on its application to larger and larger molecules. Researchers felt that a technique that prevented the full characterization of synthetic intermediates could not give rise to authentic peptide products.

Nonetheless, Merrifield—and several other laboratories—continued to develop the method and eventually quieted the objections by improving solid-phase peptide synthesis as a technique. In research today, the definition and input of the synthesis strategy and the amino acid sequence are all that is required to perform synthesis.

Peptide synthesis has invigorated the development of different application areas where synthetic peptides are now used, including the study of protein functions, the identification and characterization of proteins, and the development of epitope-specific antibodies against pathogenic proteins. This technique also offers a range of uses in the medical and research fields, including acting as chemical messengers, inter and intra-cellular mediators, hormones, and much more.

Its processes, benefits, and costs are important considerations when looking to procure a laboratory automated peptide synthesizer.