Experimental strategy for the total chemical synthesis of RBD proteins. Two peptide segments of the target polypeptide are synthesized by optimized solid-phase synthesis protocols (28) and coupled by native chemical ligation at the ligation site Cys-95–Cys-96 (16, 18). Modifications are in bold. COSR, C-terminal thioester. O, optical probe, in this case N1-methyl-7-azatryptophan, where D,L-O is the racemate and L-O is the l-enantiomer. Numbering is taken from the sequence of c-Raf-1.