Correlation between the sequence-length distribution and structure of statistical copolymers of L-valine and γ-benzyl-L-glutamate

Statistical copolymers were prepared from N-carboxyanhydrides of L -valine and γ-benzyl-L -glutamate in dioxan with triethylamine as an initiator. The copolymerization conversion was determined by ir spectroscopy, the copolymer composition by amino acid analysis, and the molecular weights by light scattering. The monomer reactivity ratios were found to be r_Val = 0.14 and r_Glu(OBzl) = 6.4. High-molecular-weight copolymers are formed even at low conversions. The content of β-structure in the copolymers was estimated from the ir spectra in copolymerization mixtures. The sequence-length distribution of L -valine and γ-benzyl-L -glutamate copolymers was calculated and its dependence on copolymerization conversion is discussed. Relations between the sequence-length distribution and the content of β-structure were studied. It was found that the content of β-structure in samples with the same composition is different for low- and high-conversion copolymers. The formation of β-structure in copolymers in the copolymerization mixture requires a certain minimal sequence length, which has been found to be about 6 valine units.     

The infuence of interchain compositional heterogeneity on the conformation in random copolymers of γ-benzyl-L-glutamate and L-valine

Variation in the solvent used for the copolymerization of γ-benzyl-L -glutamate and L -valine N-carboxyanhydrides provides copolymers which have variable interchain compositions, and this variation in interchain compositional heterogeneity is reflected in the solid-state conformations of the respective copolymers. Poly[Glu(OBzl)²⁹Val⁷¹] prepared in dioxane exhibits a β-structure, whereas a copolymer of the same average composition prepared in benzene/methylene chloride shows predominantly an β-helix conformation with a small amount of β-structure. The use of the monomer reactivity ratio permits the calculation of the average and incremental copolymer compositions at any conversion; thus, correlations between conformation and interchain compositional heterogeneity can be made. In general, copolymers prepared in dioxane show a greater distribution of chain composition and therefore permit a wider variety of conformation than copolymers prepared in benzene/methylene chloride under identical conditions.     

Copolymerization kinetics of N-carboxyanhydrides of some α-amino acids: Influence of nature of amino acids

Studies on copolymerization kinetics of N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) of O-acetyl-L -tyrosine (T) with NCAs of L -valine (V) and glycine (G) were carried out in dioxane at 25°C with n-butylamine as initiator. The reactivity ratios for the VT system were found to be r_V:r_T:0.57:0.22; and for the GT system, r_G:r_T:0.26:0.42. A comparison of this data with that obtained when L -analine was used in place of L -valine or glycine showed that in the three systems, the reactivity ratio of the amino acid residue with a greater tendency to form ordered secondary structure was greater than that of its comonomer. Among the variable comonomers (glycine, L -alanine, L -valine) of O-acetyl-L -tyrosine, it is again L -alanine, whose tendency to form helical structure is very high, that has the greater reactivity ratio.     

Solvent effects in N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerization initiated by strong base type initiators

The γ-benzyl-L -glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) polymerization initialed by diisopropylamine was studied in dimethylformamide (DMF)-dioxane mixtures of different compositions. It was found that the shape of the conversion versus time plots and the molecular weights of the polymers depend on the solvent composition. Auto-catalysis is present only when dioxane predominates in the solvent mixtures. Moreover, the molecular weight of the final polymer depends strongly on the precipitation conditions when the polymerization is carried out in DMF.     

Solid-state conformation of copolymers of β-benzyl-L-aspartate with L-alanine,L-leucine,L-valine, γ-benzyl-L-glutamate,or ϵ-carbobenzoxy-L-lysine

The solid-state conformation of copolymers of β-benzyl-L -aspartate [L -Asp(OBzl)] with L -leucine (L -Leu), L -alanine (L -Ala), L -valine (L -Val), γ-benzyl-L -glutamate [L -Glu(OBzl)], or ?-carbobenzoxy-L -lysine (Cbz-L -Lys) has been studied by ir spectroscopy and circular dichroism (CD). The ir spectra in the region of the amide I and II bands and in the region of 700–250 cm^?1 have been determined. The results from the ir studies are in good agreement with data obtained by CD experiments. Incorporation of the amino acid residues mentioned above into poly[L -Asp(OBzl)] induces a change from the left-handed into the right-handed α-helix. This conformational change for the poly[L -Asp(OBzl)] copolymers was observed in the following composition ranges: L -Leu, 0–15 mol %; L -Ala, 0–32 mol %; L -Val, 0–8 mol %; L -Glu(OBzl), 3–10 mol %; and Cbz-L -Lys, 0–9 mol %.     

The rate of γ-benzyl-L-glutamate NCA polymerizations

The primary amine initiated homopolymerization of γ-benzyl-L -glutamate NCA in dioxane at 25°C, 35°C, 50°C, and 65°C has been investigated. The reactions were virtually independent of temperature indicating an activation energy of less than 1 kcal/mole. The entropy of activation was estimated to be ?65 entropy units at 300°K. The reaction proceeded in two stages. The first stage was zero-order with respect to monomer, whereas the second was first-order with respect to monomer. Both stages were first-order with respect to initiator. These results were interpreted by assuming that the rate constant for propagation was not independent of the degree of polymerization up to the point where a conformational transition to α-helix occurred.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance and optical spectroscopic studies of block copolymers of polypeptides. I. Block copoly((benzyl-L-glutamate) n : (benzyl-L-aspartate) m )

In a study of A–B type block copolymers of γ benzyl-L -gultamate and β-benzyl-L -aspartate use has been made of the observations: (1) that for poly aspartate esters the chemical shifts of the α-CH and NH resonances are sensitive to the helix sense, (2) that in both helical and random coil conformations the same resonances of poly-γ-benzyl-L -glutamate are well separated from those of poly aspartates. Since the sense of poly-β-benzyl-L -aspartate is very sensitive to the inclusion of γ-benzyl-L -glutamate residues, the degree of overlap between the blocks can be studied by monitoring the helix sense of the aspartate. The ability of the NMR method to make separate observation of the two blocks removes the necessity of relying on an overall ORD parameter such as b₀. The copolymers studied include those having lefthanded, righthanded, and mixed-sense aspartate, corresponding to differing degrees of overlap.     

Stereochemistry of the D and L copolymerization of valine N-carboxyanhydride

In the D and L copolymerization of valine N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) with various D /L ratios initiated by n-butylamine, the stereoselection of monomer NCA by the growing polymer chains, which take a β-like conformation, does not take place. This result is in remarkable contrast to that in the D and L copolymerization of alanine NCA and of γ-benzyl glutamate NCA where the growing α-helical polymer chains participate in the stereoselection of the monomer antipodes.     

Kinetics of γ-benzyl-L-glutamate NCA's polymerizations and molecular-weight distributions on corresponding polymers

The kinetics of γ-benzyl-L -glutamate NCA's polymerizations in dioxane as solvent are discussed. The partial orders respective to [A], the NCA concentration and [I₀], the initial initiator concentration are given; the rate constants are deduced and a mechanism is proposed to justify a rate of polymerization V_p = k[A][I₀]². The dependence of the rate constants on the conformation of the growing chains is demonstrated; the acceleration is attributed to the ordered structures favorable to hydrogen bonding. The kinetics of aging have also been examined and discussed; it is shown that they cannot modify the kinetics of polymerization. The DP _n were obtained on the same samples before and after debenzylation; it is proved that at any concentration, DP _n ? [A₀]/[I₀]. The molecular-weight distributions were obtained by chromatography and a polydispersity lower than 1.3 was deduced for each sample. The trimodal distribution, appearing as soon as [A₀]/[I₀] is larger than 3, is attributed to the existence of the three structures σ, β, and α. The weight fraction of each of the structures was correlated to the kinetics of polymerization.     

Interchain heterogeneity in 2-hydroxyethylglutamine-l-valine random copolymers

Solid state circular dichroism (c.d.) and infrared (i.r.) studies of water soluble and insoluble fractions of poly(hydroxyethylglutamine-valine) random copolymers, prepared from parent γ-benzyl l-glutamate valine copolymers, show that interchain conformational heterogeneity with interchain compositional heterogeneity is present when the respective N-carboxyanhydrides are copolymerized in dioxan or benzene/methylene chloride. Use of previously determined reactivity ratios for the aforementioned copolymer systems permits the determination of the variation of the average copolymer composition, $\text{f}$_G, with conversion. The experimentally determined average copolymer composition.$\text{f}$_G for the use of the respective reactivity ratios and the copolymer hydroxyethylglutamine, valine are predicted by the use of the respective reactivity ratios and the copolymer composition equation. As the valine content of the copolymer chains in the fractions increases, the expected increase in β-sheet contribution is seen. Comparison of the experimentally determined solid state c.d. spectra with Greenfield and Fasman's computer generated c.d. spectra for varying amounts of α-helix, β-sheet and random structures, shows that the water insoluble fractions with their increased valine contents have a greater contribution of β-sheet structure than the respective soluble fractions.     

Poly( -p-nitrobenzyl-L-glutamate): synthetic aspects, sedimentation, and viscosity studies

A series of poly(γ-p-nitrobenzyl-L -glutamates), PNBG, has been synthesized by the polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) derivatives of γ-p-nitrobenzyl-L -glutamate, NBG, using triethylamine as an initiator. We studied the influence of (a) the solvents dioxane, nitrobenzene, dimethylformamide (DMF), and DMF–1,2-dichloroethane mixture and (b) the anhydride–initiator ratio (A/I) for the polymerization in nitrobenzene (A/I varying from 50 to 750) on the properties of the polymers obtained. In order to improve its synthesis, NBG, was prepared by three different methods. Ten samples of PNBG, ranging in M_w from 10,000 to 50,000, were examined viscometrically in DMF and dichloroacetic acid (DCA) and by ultracentrifugation in DMF. The data for [η] and S_o (limiting sedimentation coefficient) as functions of M_w for PNBG in DMF were utilized, applying theories of Kuhn and Kuhn,¹³ Schachman,¹⁴ and Perrin, ¹⁵ for the estimation of the length per monomeric residue h. Viscosity data gave a h value of about 2.3 Å, Whereas sedimentation yielded 1.5 Å. Treating viscosity and sedimentation data for poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate), PBLG, in the same way leads to somewhat higher hvalues (2.4 Å and 1.7 Å, respectively). Although a nitroaromatic effect was shown to be absent for PNBG in DMF, it can be concluded that in this medium PNBG has a somewhat more compact structure than PBLG.     

Effect of concentration on the aggregation of poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) in dioxane: Critical concentration and maximum length for linear head to tail aggregates

Dielectric relaxation studies in the frequency range 100 Hz to 2 MHz of poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate) in dioxane have been carried out over a range of concentration 10^?4–10^?2g/g. The structure of aggregates is analyzed in terms of dipole moment and relaxation time. A critical concentration (? 10^?3 g/g for the studied molecular weights) has been determined below which the aggregates are found to have linear head to tail type structure. Above the critical concentration a different structure of aggregates is apparent which could not be fully analyzed by these measurements alone. Possible forms of aggregation above the critical concentration are discussed. Formation of long range order which would lead to nematic liquid crystalline phase at higher concentrations has been discussed as one of the possible explanations for the observed behavior above the critical concentration. Maximum length of linear head to tail type aggregates for poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate) in dioxane as determined from these results correspond to an α-helix of molecular weight 210,000. A slight difference in the purity of dioxane has been shown to have an influence on the reproducibility of the state of aggregation as well as on the rate of disaggregation on dilution.     

The -conformation and association of low-molecular-weight poly- -benzyl-L-glutamate in solutions

Three samples of poly-γ-benzyl-L -glutamate have been prepared from γ-benzyl-N-carboxy-L -glutamate anhydride with n-hexylamine initiation at anhydride-to-initiator molar ratios, [A]/[I], of 3, 4, and 8, and their conformation and association in ethylene dichloride and dioxane have been investigated by means of infrared spectra and vapor-pressure osmometry. Two conformations, σ-and β-forms, are present in those solvents, and the content of β-form increases with increasing A/I value and concentration. At infinite dilution molecular association is absent, but the number-average molecular weight increases with cocentration, markedly in ethylene dichloride and, to a lesser extent, in dioxane. The fraction of residues involved in associated molecules have been estimated as a function of concentration. Combination of the content of β-structure with the fraction of association leads to the following results. The A/I 3 and 4 polymers form intermolecularly hydrogen-bonded aggregates, in which hydrogen-bonded residues are in the β-structure. The A/I 8 polymer has the intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded β-structure at very low concentrations, but it also forms intermolecularly hydrogen-bonded aggregates at high concentrations.     

Effects of temperature on the polymerization of γ-ethyl DL-glutamate N-carboxy anhydride in DMF initiated by tri-n-propylamine

Polymerization of γ-ethyl DL -glutamate N-carboxy anhydride (NCA) in DMF has been carried out at various temperatures and with the use of tri-n-propylamine as the initiator. It was found that on decreasing the polymerization temperature the reaction rate is lowered but the molecular weight and the helix content of the final polymer are enhanced. An overall activation energy of ～4 kcal/mole has been found for the polymerization process. Preliminary experiments carried out on the polymerization of γ-benzyl D -glutamate NCA in DMF and with tri-n-propylamine as the initiator showed a strong depressing effect of the CO₂ evolved during the polymerization, both on the reaction rate and on the molecular weight of the polymer. All data are interpreted in terms of the Bamford-Swarc mechanism.     

Synthesis and conformational study of poly(N delta-carbobenzoxy, N delta-benzyl-L-ornithine) and poly(N delta-benzyl-L-ornithine)

Poly(N^δ-carbobenzoxy, N^δ-benzyl-L -ornithine) (PCBLO) was prepared by the standard NCA method. PCBLO was converted into poly(N^δ-benzyl-L -ornithine) (PBLO) through decarbobenzoxylation with hydrogen bromide. The monomer N^δ-benzyl-L -ornithine was synthesized by reacting L -ornithine with benzaldehyde, followed by hydrogenation. The conformation of the two polypeptides was studied by optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism. PCBLO forms a right-handed helix in helix-promoting solvents. In mixed solvents of chloroform and dichloroacetic acid (DCA) it undergoes a sharp helix–coil transition at 12% (v/v) DCA at 25°C, as compared with 36% for poly(N^δ-carbobenzoxy-L -ornithine) (PCLO). Like PCLO, the helix–coil transition is “inverse,” that is, high temperature favors the helical form. PBLO is soluble in water at pH below 7 and has a “coiled” conformation. In 88% (v/v) 1-propanol above pH (apparent) 9.6 it is completely helical. In 50% 1-propanol the transition pH (apparent) is about 7.4; this compares with a pH_tr of about 10 for poly-L -ornithine in the same solvent.     

Basic polypeptides as histone models. Synthesis, conformation, and interaction with DNA of statistical copolymers (Lys x,Ala y)n.

Statistical copolymers (Lys^x,Ala^y)_n were synthesized by copolymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides of L -amino acids. The conformation of copolymers in aqueous solutions was investigated using circular dichroism (CD). Calculations based on the CD data showed that polymers (Lys^x,Ala^y)_n can exhibit a random conformation, an α-helix, and a β-structure in various ratios. CD spectra of complexes of copolymers with DNA prepared by gradual dialysis from a high ionic strength to 0.15 M NaCl can be correlated with the copolymer conformation in medium and high ionic strength. For copolymers forming an α-helix and β-structure, these spectra show resemblance with similar spectra of complexes of those histones that are able to exhibit ordered conformations.     

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.     

Intermolecular association of tetra-(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate)s in ethylene dichloride solutions

Light scattering from ethylene dichloride solutions of tetra-(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate)s has been measured and their association in solution is examined. One of the peptides is monodisperse o-nitrophenylthio-tetra-(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate) ethylamide prepared by a stepwise condensation method, and the other is low-molecular-weight poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate) prepared by the N-carboxyanhydride method with n-hexilamine initiation at [A]/[I] = 4 and factionated by dosslution in formic acid. Concentration-dependent association of both peptides occurs noncooperatively, without giving critical micelle concentrations. The aggregate size is small: about 23 for the former tetrapeptide and about 7 for the latter polypeptide. While angular dissymmetry is close to unity, light scattering shows anomalous angular dependence, the intensity being symmetrically low with respect to the scattering angle of 90°. The observed angular dependence is interpreted in terms of the effect of optical anisotropy of peptide units. Formation of the anisotropic phase in concentrated solutions of these peptides is also examined briefy.     

Deuteration and solvent composition effects in the helix–coil transition of poly-γ-beiizyl-L-glutamate

The effects of deuteration and of changes in solvent composition on the thermo dynamics of the helix–coil transition have been studied by calorimetric and optical measurements in the poly-γ-benzyl-L -glutamate–dichloroacetic acid–1,2-dichloro-ethanc system. For a given solvent composition, deuteration of the polypeptide and of the acid lowers the transition temperature T_c, while an increase in the volume fraction of acid in the solvent raises T_c. A rise in T_c is accompanied by a decrease in both the van't Hoff and the calorimetric heats of transition, but at different rates. The result is a temperature dependency in the Zimm-Bragg cooperation parameter σ. Possible causes of this result and its implications are discussed.     

Asymmetric selection in the copolymerization of N-carboxyl-L- and D-alanine anhydride

The copolymerization of N-carboxy-L - and D -alanine anhydride with methanol as initiator was carried out. The enantiomer excess in the starting monomer mixture is preferentially incorporated into polymer chains, demonstrating asymmetric selection during the D - and L -copolymerization. The mechanism of asymmetric-selective polymerization of α-amino acid NCA is discussed in terms of the stereoregulation by molecular asymmetry of the growing polymer chain.