Dielectric studies of aqueous solutions of poly(L-glutamic acid)

The dielectric features of poly(L -glutamic acid) are studied by the Fourier synthesized pseudorandom noise method in a time domain combined with a four-electrode cell. Polymer concentration dependence, the effect of the solvent viscosity, salt effects, and pH dependence are studied concomitantly with measurements of CD. A helix-to-coil transition occurs near pH 5.6 for a salt-free solution; at higher pH values, the polymer has an ionized random-coil conformation, and at lower pH, it has a deionized α-helical conformation. When it is in the ionized random-coil conformation, with the usual features of an electrolytic polymer, the solution shows a relaxation spectrum with a large dielectric increment at low frequencies. In the deionized α-helical state, no distinct relaxation curves are obtained, which does not deny the existence of a permanent peptide dipole. The pH dependence of the dielectric increment does not mainly correspond to the conformational change from helix to coil, but rather corresponds to the change of chain expansion on account of a charge–charge interaction under low ionic strength, which is conceived of by a viscosity measurement.     

Structural studies of poly(α-aminoisobutyric acid)

The electron-diffraction pattern of an oriented film of poly(α-aminoisobutyric acid) in the 3₁₀-helical conformation has been analyzed. The conformation was obtained by a linked-atom least-squares refinement of average values from crystal structures. Specimens treated with dichloracetic acid, to improve their crystallinity, conform to space group R3c with a = 21.8 Å, c = 5.95 Å. The structure contains channels that can accommodate molecules of dichloracetic acid. One molecule of acid per six residues fills the channels, and the R-factor then is 34% using 23 reflections. Ir evidence is presented to show that the acid may hydrogen bond to the peptide groups. Some reflections occasionally observed on the diffraction photographs are attributed to a 15/4 α-helix. The significance of the results is considered in relation to Aib-containing peptides.     

Electron diffraction studies of poly(α-aminoisobutyric acid)

Electron diffraction photographs of poly (α-aminoisobutyric acid) treated with dichloracetic acid are shown to be consistent with space group R3c. This is strong evidence for a hexagonal cell in which right- and left-handed 3₁₀-helices form a honeycomb structure. It appears that the dichloracetic acid molecules are located in the centers of the holes.     

Conformation of poly(γ‐glutamic acid) in aqueous solution

Local conformation and overall conformation of poly(γ‐DL‐glutamic acid) (PγDLGA) and poly(γ‐L‐glutamic acid) (PγLGA) in aqueous solution was studied as a function of degree of ionization ε by ¹H‐NMR, circular dichroism, and potentiometric titration. It was clarified that their local conformation is represented by random coil over an entire ε range and their overall conformation is represented by expanded random‐coil in a range of ε > ε^*, where ε^* is about 0.3, 0.35, 0.45, and 0.5 for added‐salt concentration of 0.02M, 0.05M, 0.1M, and 0.2M, respectively. In a range of ε < ε^*, however, ε dependence of their overall conformation is significantly differentiated from each other. PγDLGA tends to aggregate intramolecularly and/or intermolecularly with decreasing ε, but PγLGA still behaves as expanded random‐coil. It is speculated that spatial arrangement of adjacent carboxyl groups along the backbone chain essentially affects the overall conformation of PγGA in acidic media. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 105: 191–198, 2016.     

Helix–coil transition kinetics in aqueous poly(α,L-glutamic acid)

A polarimetric electric-field-jump relaxation apparatus is described and used to determine the relaxation spectrum for the helix–coil transition of poly(α,L -glutamic acid) in water at 24°C. A maximum relaxation time of 1.7 μc occurs at the transition midpoint (pH = 5.9) yielding a rate constant for helical growth of 6 × 10⁷ sec^?1.     

Conformational study of poly(α,β-L-aspartic acid)

The conformation of several samples of poly(α,β-L -Asp) with a molar fraction of β-bonds ranging from 0.1 to 0.55 was investigated by means of ir and CD spectroscopy and potentiometric titration and compared with the results obtained previously with poly(α-L -Asp). All samples investigated underwent a conformational change induced by changes in their degree of ionization: unpronounced ir absorption of amide V at 650 cm^?1 was shifted to 620 cm^?1 and substantially increased on deionization; CD spectra changed with the degree of ionization, passing through an isosbestic point; and the pattern of the titration curves was more complex than that of a simple polyelectrolyte. The conformation developing with the decreasing degree of ionization may be considered to be α-helix, as deduced according to the analogous behavior of other polypeptides. The extent of the conformational change in the individual samples depends on the molar fraction of β-bonds: the higher it is, the lower is the helix-forming ability of the sample.     

Conformational study of poly(α-L-aspartic acid)

The conformation of poly(α-L -aspartic acid) was investigated on a sample in which β-bonds were not detected. CD and ir spectroscopy showed that poly(α-L -aspartic acid) passes through a conformational change induced by changes of the degree of ionization that is accompanied by precipitation; the precipitate is probably highly helical. The change was also detected by potentiometric titration.     

Metal complexs of poly (α-amino acids): Cu(II) chelates of acetoacetylated poly(L-lysine), poly(L-ornithine), and poly(L-diaminobutyric acid)

The cupric complexes of poly(N^ε-acetoacetyl-L -lysine), [Lys(Acac)]_n′ poly(N^δ-acetoacetyl-L -ornithine), [Orn(Acac)]_n′ and poly(N^γ-acetoacetyl-L -diaminobutyric acid), [A₂bu-(Acac)]_n, as well as of the model compound n-hexyl acetoacetamide, have been investigated by means of absorption, potentiometric, equilibrium dialysis, and CD measurements. While in the complex of the model compound, one chelating group is bound to one cupric ion, in the polymeric complexes two β-ketoamide groups are bound to Cu(II) under the same experimental conditions. The binding constant of cupric ions to the three polymers and the formation constant of the Cu(II)-nhexylacetoacetamide complex have been evluated. Investigation on the chiroptical properties of the three polymeric complexes shows that the peptide backbone does not undergo conformational transitions, remaining α-helical when up to 20% of the side chains are bound to Cu(II). The optical activity of the β-ketoamide chromophores is substantially affected by complex formation and is discussed in terms of asymmetric induction from the chiral backbone.     

Fluorine nmr studies of poly(N-acryloyl-β-alanine)–α-chymotrypsin conjugates

Fluorine nmr experiments carried out at 51.0 and 94.1 MHz have been used to explore the interaction of the probe molecule p-fluorocinnamate with conjugates formed from α-chymotrypsin and poly(N-acryloyl-β-alanine). The data obtained include enzyme-induced chemical-shift effects, spin-lattice (R₁) and transverse (R₂) relaxation rates, and the rate constant for dissociation of the fluorocinnamate–enzyme complexes. Analysis of the results indicates that while overall molecular tumbling of the enzyme molecule is not greatly changed by attachment of polymers of various sizes, conjugated polymer can appreciably affect the structure of the p-fluorocinnamate binding site. The important variable involved in such structural changes appears to be the amount of polymer present per mole of protein.     

Partial molar volumes of some α-amino acids in aqueous sodium acetate solutions at 308.15 K

The apparent molar volumes V_2,φ have been determined for glycine, -α-alanine, -α-amino-n-butyric acid, -valine and -leucine in aqueous solutions of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mol kg⁻¹ sodium acetate by density measurements at 308.15 K. These data have been used to derive the infinite dilution apparent molar volumes V⁰_2,φ for the amino acids in aqueous sodium acetate solutions and the standard volumes of transfer, Δ_tV⁰, of the amino acids from water to aqueous sodium acetate solutions. It has been observed that both V⁰_2,φ and Δ_tV⁰ vary linearly with increasing number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain of the amino acids. These linear correlations have been utilized to estimate the contributions of the charged end groups (NH₃⁺,COO⁻), CH₂ group and other alkyl chains of the amino acids to V⁰_2,φ and Δ_tV⁰. The results show that V⁰_2,φ values for (NH₃⁺,COO⁻) groups increase with sodium acetate concentration, and those for CH₂ are almost constant over the studied sodium acetate concentration range. The transfer volume increases and the hydration number of the amino acids decreases with increasing electrolyte concentrations. These facts indicate that strong interactions occur between the ions of sodium acetate and the charged centers of the amino acids. The volumetric interaction parameters of the amino acids with sodium acetate were calculated in water. The pair interaction parameters are found to be positive and decreased with increasing alkyl chain length of the amino acids, suggesting that sodium acetate has a stronger dehydration effect on amino acids which have longer hydrophobic alkyl chains. These phenomena are discussed by means of the cosphere overlap model.     

Interaction of poly(α-L-glutamic acid) and sodium poly(α-L-glutamate) with solvent components in water–2-chloroethanol mixtures

The preferential interaction of sodium poly(α-L -glutamate) and poly(α-L -glutamic acid) with the solvent components in water/2-chloroethanol mixtures has been determined using density-increment measurements. The degree of preferential interaction was deduced from the density increments at constant molality of 2-chloroethanol and at constant chemical potential of 2-chloroethanol. Sodium poly(α-L -glutamate) and poly(α-L -glutamic acid) are both preferentially hydrated in the whole range of solvent composition. A dehydration process occurs during the 2-chloroethanol-induced coil-to-helix transition of sodium poly(α-L -glutamate). This dehydration process was attributed to the release of some moles of water from the neighborhood of the peptide bond during the nucleation of the helix. After the conformational transition, sodium poly(α-L -glutamate) is solvated by one 2-chloroethanol molecule. The location of water and 2-chloroethanol molecules in the different parts of the residue (more polar and less polar portions) is also discussed.     

Viscosity and potentiometric measurements of poly(L-histidyl-L-alanyl-α-L-glutamic acid) and poly(L-lysyl-L-alanyl-α-L-glutamic acid)

Poly(His-Ala-Glu) and poly(Lys-Ala-Glu) were examined by viscosity and potentiometric titration. These measurements were interpreted in terms of the hydrodynamic size of the above sequential polypeptides. Effects of polymer, size and concentration, and solution-salt concentration were demonstrated. Although the sequential polypeptides generally behave like polyampholytes, they do demonstrate some differences. These differences my be attributed to the ability of ionized side chains three residues apart to repel themselves, in the order His < Glu < Lys.     

Aggregation of poly(γ-benzyl-α,L-glutamate)

The aggregation of poly(γ-benzyl-α,L -glutamate) and its enantiomer in toluene has been investigated by following the viscosity as a function of temperature, concentration, molecular weight, molecular-weight distribution, helix chirality, and shear rate. The temperature and concentration data for a 138,000-molecular-weight sample was fitted to an open, reversible end-to-end aggregation model. The aggregation numbers resulting from this fit were consistent with the sudden onset in non-Newtonian flow resulting from only a 0.2-wt% increase in concentration. The association equilibrium constant was then used to predict viscosity for comparison with other data, in particular, the effect of molecular weight and molecular-weight distribution. A mixture of right-and left-handed helices showed the aggregation was not chiral selective. The stiffness of end-to-end aggregated (hydrogen-bonded) molecules differed little from their covalent counterparts, at least below a molecular weight of ～10⁶. We conclude that polybenzylglutamate aggregation in toluene can be described by an open end-to-end aggregation model.     

Preferred conformations of peptides containing α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids

The conformational preferences of linear peptides containing α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids, derived from the crystal structures of 28 compounds, are reviewed. In particular, the sensitivity of peptide conformation to the geometry of these unusual amino acids is underlined. We also consider possible future directions of research, which, we hope, will result in a complete understanding of the structures adopted by peptaibol antibiotics.     

Selective photodestruction of α-amino acids

A problem typically encountered in the analysis of amino acids in chemical evolution experiments and in extracts of meteorites is the large number present. For example, α-, β-, and γ-amino acids, N-mono substituted α-amino acids, and dicarboxylic α-amino acids have been found in extracts of the Murchison meteorite, and many more amino acids are present than have been positively identified by computerized gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. This paper reports an analytical method to selectively destroy the α-amino acids, with only the β- and γ-amino acids remaining in the solution. It is based on the ability of Cu²⁺ to complex with amino acids, the order of stability of these complexes being α > β > γ, = δ, = ε = 0. Aqueous solutions of α-amino acid-Cu²⁺ chelates are known to be decomposed by 254 nm light as well as by nonmonochromatic uv light, yielding a precipitate of Cu₂O. This paper shows that at 254 nm (ligand-metal charge transfer band) the rate of destruction of amino acids in Cu²⁺ aqueous solutions is in the following order, dicarboxylic α-amino acids > α-amino acids > N-monosubstituted α-amino acids β-amino acids ≈ γ-amino acids. Thus by irradiation with 254 nm light in the presence of Cu²⁺ all the amino acids can be destroyed except the β- and γ-amino acids. When almost 100% of the α-amino acids are destroyed, 80% of the β- and γ-amino acids still exist in solution. With this procedure, complex mixtures of amino acids can be simplified to make identification by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry casier.     

Relative stability of the α-helix of deuterated poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate)

The coil-to-helix transition temperatures of hydrogen bearing and deuterated poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate) in 1,3-dichlorotetrafluoroacetone/H₂O and/D₂O mixtures, respectively, have been determined. Together with previously obtained data for the conformational transition of this polypeptide in normal and deuterated dichloroacetic acid, these results have been used in an analysis of the effect of deuterium substitution on the intrinsic stability of the α-helical form of poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate). The findings, consistent for both solvent systems, showed that the deuterated polypeptide is some 5% more stable than the normal protonated poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate), while the polypeptide-active solvent interaction enthalpy is also slightly increased by deuterium substitution in the respective molecules. A consideration of available data for poly(β-benzyl-L -aspartate) reveals an anomaly with respect to the present analysis.