ALBERT

Notes: The three-dimensional structure was determined by x-ray crystallography for d(T[p](CE)T), a uv photoproduct of the cyanoethyl (CE) derivative of d(TpT), having the cis-syn cyclobutane (CB) geometry and the S-configuration at the chiral phosphorus atom. The crystals of C23H30N5O12P · 2H2O belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121 (Z = 4), with cell dimensions a = 11.596 Å, b = 14.834 Å, and c = 15.946 Å, containing two water molecules per asymmetric unit. The CB ring is puckered with a dihedral angle of 151°. The two pyrimidine bases are rotated by -29° from the position of direct overlap of their corresponding atoms. This represents a major distortion of DNA, since in DNA adjacent thymines are rotated by +36°. The pyrimidine rings are puckered with Cremer-Pople parameters for T[p] and in parentheses [p]T: Q: 0.24 Å (0.31 Å); θ: 123° (120°); φ: 141° (86°). These represent half-chairs designated as 6H1 (T[p]) and 6H5 ([p]T). The CB and pyrimidine ring conformations are interrelated, and we postulate that they execute a coupled interconversion in solution. The T[p] segment has the syn glycosyl conformation, a 2T3 sugar pucker, and gauche- conformation at C4′-C5′; the [p]T segment is anti, 3T4, trans. The C5′-O5′ torsion of the [p]T unit is -124.5°, and the C3′-O3′ torsion of the T[p] unit is -152.9°. Bond angles and bond lengths involving the phosphorus atom are similar to those of other phosphotriesters. The P-O3′ and P-05′ torsion angles are -138.1° and 58.6°, respectively. Several intermolecular (but no intramolecular) hydrogen bonds are found in the crystal.

Notes: Light-scattering techniques have been used to measure the z-average radius of gyration Rg z-average translational diffusion coefficient Dt and weight-average molecular weight Mw of porcine submaxillary mucin (PSM) in solution. PSM isolated at low shear in the presence of protease inhibitors has a Mw about twice as large as a sample prepared without these precautions. The former sample has a Mw of 17 × 106 in 0.1M NaCl, which decreases to 8 × 106 in 6M guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) and then to 2 × 106 on addition of 0.1M mercaptoethanol to the 6M GdnHCl solution. The Rg or D-1t values obtained for PSM in this work superimpose with those of other authors for different mucin glycoproteins, leading to linear log-log relationships to the molecular weight of the protein core. Comparison of these results with those in the literature for denatured proteins suggest that mucins are linear random coils in which the protein core is stiffened by the presence of the oligosaccharide side chains. The length of the oligosaccharides and the nature of the solvent have little effect on the extension of the protein core. This suggests that the stiffness of the protein core is maintained by steric repulsion of the residues at the beginning of the oligosaccharide chains.

Notes: The conformation of melittin, a surface-active polypeptide, in solution was studied by CD spectra between 190 and 240 nm. The molecule was essentially unordered (possibly with a trace of helix) in water without salt at neutral pH. Upon deprotonation of four of the six cationic groups at pH 12 the polypeptide became partially helical (about 35%). The addition of NaDodSO4 to an aqueous melittin solution first caused the solution to become turbid but it became clear again in excess surfactant solution. The conformational changes depended on the molar NaDodSO4/melittin ratio, R. With R from 2.34 to 23.4, the melittin solution was turbid and the polypeptide conformation was probably a mixture of α-helix and β-sheets. This was supported by the ir spectrum of the turbid solution, which indicated the presence of both conformations. With R = 46.8 or 468 (1 or 10 mM NaDodSO4) the polypeptide conformation was characteristic of an α-helix, about 70-80% of the molecule, regardless of whether the surfactant was above or below its critical micelle concentration. This compared well with the x-ray results of 92% helix in crystals. The lower helicity of melittin in NaDodSO4 solution might be attributed to the end effects that destabilize the first and last turn of an helix at its N- and C-terminus, respectively.

Notes: Short segments of polypeptide, from a protein for which the primary sequence but not the three-dimensional structure is known, are compared to a library of known structures. The basis of comparison is the probability with which residues in the unknown segment might substitute through evolution for residues in segments of known structure. In test cases, segments from known structures that are similar in sequence to those from a protein treated as unknown are often found to be similar in three-dimensional structure to one another and to the true structure of the “unknown” segment. This provides a basis for prediction of the local configuration (secondary structure) of polypeptides.

Notes: X-ray diffraction studies have been carried out on a single crystal of the photosynthetic inhibitors N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N′-dimethylurea (DCMU) and its newly synthesized spin-labeled analog N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N′-(3,3,5,5-tetramethylpiperidine-4-oxyl)-urea (DTPU). The synthesis of DTPU as well as its crystallographic data are reported. The crystal system of both compounds is monoclinic with a space group P21/c. The cell constants of DCMU are a = 7.759(1), b = 14.737(3), c = 9.233(2) Å, β = 100.99(6)°; of DTPU they are a = 6.976(1), b = 11.998(2), c = 23.585(3) Å, β = 91.38(5)°. Comparison of conformational parameters of DCMU and DTPU reveal differences in the dihedral angle between the aromatic ring and the ureido plane. The measured volumes of DCMU and DTPU are 259.1 and 493.3 Å3, respectively. These figures suggest the size of the binding site of the inhibitors in the photosynthetic membrane.

Notes: The conformational analysis of a protected homodipeptide of 1-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (Acc5) has been carried out. 1H-nmr studies establish a β-turn conformation for Boc-Acc5-Acc5-NHMe in chloroform and dimethylsulfoxide solutions involving the methylamide NH in an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Supportive evidence for the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond is obtained from ir studies. X-ray diffraction studies reveal a type III β-turn conformation in the solid state stabilized by a 4 → 1 hydrogen bond between the Boc CO and methylamide NH groups. The φ,ψ values for both Acc5 residues are close to those expected for an ideal 310-helical conformation (φ≃ ± 60°, ψ∼ ±30°).

Notes: The decrease in mobility of viscous glycol-water solvents when associated with native DNA is quantified from a study of the loss of the exciting-wavelength dependence of the phosphorescence spectrum of free and bound proflavin with increasing temperature. The data are interpreted in terms of a distribution of rate constants with an Arrhenius temperature dependence. Over the temperature range of the experiments a relative decrease of ∼ 104 in the average rate constant is observed for reorientation of the solvent when associated with DNA. The basis for this large reduction is found to derive from a large decrease in the pre-exponential factors (i.e., activation entropy) associated with the reorientation rate constants. The changes in the distribution of rate constants and the activation parameters for solvent mobility induced by DNA do not resemble the changes observed for any one of a number of small ion or molecule perturbations. The results suggest the presence of disorganized, relatively immobile solvent in association with DNA.

Notes: The three-dimensional Poisson-Boltzmann equation for the distribution of counterion charge density around double-helical DNA has been solved for solutions of .01M, .10M, and .20M monovalent salt. The polymers, poly[d(CpGp)] and poly[d(m5CpGp)], were studied in the B- and the Z-conformations. The effect of methylation on the relative stabilities of these conformers in solutions of different ionic strengths is known to favor the Z-form. Accumulation of charge density around the B- and the Z-conformers is compared in detail. The relative electrostatic stabilities of the B- and Z-conformers in .01M, .10M, and .20M solutions are compared and discussed in terms of the ion-DNA interactions and the self-energy of the structured ionic environment. The ion-DNA interaction energies, termed “phosphate screening,” monotonically decrease with ionic strength and are consistent with a B-to-Z conformation change induced in either polymer by increased electrolyte concentration. However, these calculated energies alone do not account for the fact that the ionic strength at the midpoint of the transition of the methylated polymer is substantially lower than that of its unmethylated analogues. The phosphate screening effect is counterbalanced by changes in the self-energy required for the creation of the structured counterion environment. This self-energy of the electrolyte environment monotonically increases with ionic strength. Methylation-induced shifts in the overall conformational equilibria depend on the relative changes of these competing effects. Increasing salt concentration is calcualted to favor the Z-conformer. The effect of methylation, lowering the ionic strength of the transition midpoint, is proposed to originate in minor structural changes in the Z-form of the polymer, making the groove more accessible to counterions in the G(3′ - 5′)C region. This allows a redistribution of counterion density and a lowering of the self-energy of the ionic environment, conferring added stability to the Z-conformation, as indicated by calculations of relative entropies. The experimentally observed temperature dependence of the B-to-Z transition, however, cannot be explained without assuming the release of bound water. Maps of the calculated three-dimensional structure at the counterion distribution near the surface of these molecules in both the B- and the Z-forms are also presented.

Notes: Fourier transform ir vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra in the amide I′ region of poly(L-lysine) in D2O solutions have confirmed the existence of three distinct conformational states and an unordered conformational state in this homopolypeptide. Characteristic VCD spectra are presented for the right-handed α-helix, the antiparallel β-sheet, an extended helix conformation previously referred to as the so-called “random coil,” and a completely unordered conformation characterized by the absence of any amide I′ VCD. VCD for the antiparallel β-sheet in solution and the unordered chain conformation are presented for the first time. Each of the four different VCD spectra is unique in appearance and lends weight to the view that VCD has the potential to become a sensitive new probe of the secondary structure of proteins in solution.

Notes: The hinge-bending mode of hen egg white lysozyme is studied by a constrained minimization technique. Results with and without a bound inhibitor, tri-N-acetyl-glucosamine, are obtained. The frequency of the mode with the inhibitor is found to be 4.3 cm-1, in contrast to 3.0 cm-1 for the free enzyme. Also, the hinge-bending angle with the lowest energy is shifted 10° towards a more closed cleft in the bound species. The main contribution to these differences arise from interactions with the residues lining the cleft and those on the back side of it. Structural details that account for the energetics are presented. The method of calculation is somewhat different from a previous study [J. A. McCammon, B. R. Gelin, M. Karplus & P. G. Wolynes, (1976) Nature 262, 325-326] to reduce the likelihood of artifacts in the results.

Notes: The overall dynamics of the Pf1 filamentous bacteriophage particle in solution are characterized by nmr experiments. The chemical-shift anisotropy powder-pattern lineshapes from both DNA and protein backbone sites of the virus are motionally averaged in the same way, indicating that the entire particle undergoes rapid (〈 104 Hz) reorientation about the long axis of the filament when the virus is in solution at high pH. In contrast, the virus particles in samples at low pH are immobile on this time scale.

Notes: The structure and internal motions of the protein hen egg white lysozyme are studied by analysis of simulation and experimental data. A molecular dynamics simulation and an energy minimization of the protein in vacuum have been made and the results compared with high-resolution structures and temperature factors of hen egg white lysozyme in two different crystal forms and of the homologous protein human lysozyme. The structures obtained from molecular dynamics and energy minimization have root-mean-square deviations for backbone atoms of 2.3 Å and 1.1-1.3 Å, respectively, relative to the crystal structures; the different crystal structures have root-mean-square deviations of 0.73-0.81 Å for the backbone atoms. In comparing the backbone dihedral angles, the difference between the dynamics and the crystal structure on which it is based is the same as that between any two crystal structures. The internal fluctuations of atomic positions calculated from the molecular dynamics trajectory agree well with the temperature factors from the three structures. Simulation and crystal results both show that there are large motions for residues involved in exposed turns of the backbone chain, relatively smaller motions for residues involved in the middle of helices or β-sheet structures, and relatively small motions of residues near disulfide bridges. Also, both the simulation and crystal data show that side-chain atoms have larger fluctuations than main-chain atoms. Moreover, the regions that have large deviations among the x-ray crystal structures, which indicates flexibility, are found to have large fluctuations in the simulation.

Notes: The interaction of the carbocyanine dye Stains-all with the Ca2+-binding proteins calmodulin, troponin C, and parvalbumin has been monitored by means of absorption spectra and CD. In the absence of Ca2+, complexes with Stains-all of all three proteins exhibit at high dye: protein mole ratios an intense J absorption band at 600-650 nm, which is associated with a characteristic CD spectrum. In the cases of calmodulin and troponin C, the J-band is progressively lost as the dye: protein ratio decreases and is replaced by bands of the γ and β types at 450-550 nm, which likewise give rise to characteristic CD spectra. For parvalbumin, only the J-band is observed; its intensity is undiminished at the lowest dye: protein ratios examined. In the presence of excess Ca2+ the J-band is lost for all three proteins. For calmodulin and troponin C it is replaced by σ- and β-bands; in the case of parvalbumin the bound dye is released. A tentative model has been proposed to account for these observations.

Notes: The average conformation of Met-enkephalin was determined by using an adaptive, importance-sampling Monte Carlo algorithm (SMAPPS - Statistical Mechanical Algorithm for Predicting Protein Structure). In the calculation, only the backbone dihedral angles (φ and ψ) were allowed to vary; i.e., all side-chain (χ) and peptide-bond (ω) dihedral angles were kept fixed at the values corresponding to a low-energy structure of the pentapeptide. The total conformational energy for each randomly generated structure of the polypeptide was obtained by summing over the interaction energies of all pairs of nonbonded atoms of the whole molecule. The interaction energies were computed by the program ECEPP/2 (Empirical Conformational Energy Program for Peptides). Solvent effects were not included in the computation. The calculation was repeated until a total of 10 independent average conformations were established. The regions of conformational space occupied by the average structures were compared with the regions of low conditional free energy obtained by SMAPPS in the first paper of this series. Such a comparison provides an analysis of the capacity of SMAPPS to adjust the Monte Carlo search to regions of highest probability. The results demonstrate that the ability of SMAPPS to focus the Monte Carlo search is excellent. Finally, the 10 independent average conformations and the mean of the 10 average structures were utilized as the initial conformations for a direct energy minimization of the pentapeptide. Of the 11 final energy-minimized structures, three of the conformations were found to be equivalent to the conformation of lowest energy determined previously. In addition, all but two of the remaining energy-minimized structures were found to correspond to one of the two other conformations of high probability obtained in the first paper of this series. These results indicate that a set of independent average conformations can provide a rational, unbiased choice for the initial conformation, to be used in a direct energy minimization of a polypeptide. The final energy-minimized structures consequently constitute a set of low-energy conformations, which include the global energy minimum.

Notes: The interpretation of ΔGDH2O (the free energy change for the reaction, globular conformation ⇋ randomly coiled conformation, in the absence of denaturant), in terms of the free energies of transfer of various parts of the protein molecule from water to denaturant solution, is unsatisfactory because the latter are assumed to be identical to the transfer-free energies of similar groups attached to smaller model compounds. We have made empirical adjustments to transfer-free energy theory that make possible linear extrapolation of the free energy of denaturation of a protein from transition region to zero denaturant concentration. The modified theory, used to analyze the denaturation of proteins by guanidine hydrochloride and urea, allowed us to calculate reasonable values for Δα, the average change in accessibility to solvent of the component groups of protein.

Notes: The multidimensional statistical technique of discriminant analysis is used to allocate amino acid sequences to one of four secondary structural classes: high α content, high β content, mixed α and β, low content of ordered structure. Discrimination is based on four attributes: estimates of percentages of α and β structures, and regular variations in the hydrophobic values of residues along the sequence, occurring with periods of 2 and 3.6 residues. The reliability of the method, estimated by classifying 138 sequences from the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank, is 80%, with no misallocations between α-rich and β-rich classes. The reliability can be increased to 84% by making no allocation for proteins classified with odds close to 1. Classification using previously developed secondary structural prediction methods is considerably less reliable, the best result being 64% obtained using predictions based on the Delphi method.

Notes: The distributions of charged groups in 32 proteins of known three-dimensional structure have been analyzed to determine how regularly the groups are spread over the molecule's surfaces, and to identify and to study those proteins where charge asymmetry would seem important for their function. The distributions have been analyzed in terms of charge “polarity,” surface “charge density,” and electric dipole moments. More detailed studies of the distributions for individual proteins are made using map projections specifically developed for this purpose. In the light of the results obtained we discuss the role of charged groups in relation to protein function.

Notes: Changes in the 31P-nmr spectra of sonicated natural DNA fragments were investigated in ethanol solutions where the fragments underwent, as checked by CD, the B-to-A conformational transition. The study produced the following conclusions: (1) The high DNA concentrations used for the 31P-nmr measurements promote the transition compared to dilute solutions that are commonly used for CD measurements. (2) The B-to-A transition was reflected in a cooperative downfield shift of the DNA 31P-nmr resonance, consistent with unwinding of the double helix. (3) Prior to the transition, the changes in chemical shift of double-and single-stranded DNAs were almost identical. It thus appears that the effect of ethanol on the geometry and hydration of phosphodiester linkages does not depend heavily on DNA base-base interactions. (4) The A-form resonances were 30-40% narrower than the B-form resonances, which is attributed to marked sequence-dependent variations in the latter conformation and to their reduction in the former. (5) The B-form DNA aggregated in the concentrated 31P-nmr samples in the presence of ethanol, judged from a milky opalescence of the solution and a substantial broadening of its 31P-nmr resonance. The broadening abruptly disappeared as soon as DNA adopted the A-form so that DNA, in dependence on the secondary structure, showed different tendencies to condense in the presence of ethanol. The condensation increased cooperativity of the B-to-A interconversion.

Notes: Monte Carlo computer simulations were performed to elucidate the dynamic aspects of the folding and unfolding transitions of island-model protein. Five different types of model proteins were designed, according to characteristics of backbone structure. The computer simulations clearly show that the unfolding and folding transitions are all-or-none processes between the N-and U-states. They are typical Poisson processes. From the Arrhenius plots of rate constants, the activation enthalpies of folding and unfolding were determined. In addition, the folding pathways were determined along the reaction coordinate. Formations of several local structures along a polypeptide chain are almost simultaneous, but the most probable time sequence of events exists at the moment of transition. That is the most probable folding pathway. The unfolding pathway was found to be just the reverse process of the most probable folding pathway. The relationship between the fluctuations in each equilibrium state and the transition process was considered. In contrast to the theory of absolute reaction rate, the transient states are widely distributed along the reaction coordinate. From analysis of the “transient process,” we tried to determine the critical states from which the transient process starts. As a result, we found that the unfolding transition occurs at the stage near the N-state. During the U-state, large joined blocks rarely appear, but they appear in the transient process towards the N-state. However, the “branch point” between the N- and U-states lies near the N-state, and joined blocks tend to unfold prior to passing over the branch point. We concluded that the stability of later folding intermediates is important for selection of the folding pathway, while preferential selection of an early folding intermediate is important in acceleration of the folding rate. The effects of intrachain cross-linking and peptide fragment binding on the rate constants were examined by using computer simulations of model proteins. In general, a small-sized loop formed by cross-linking accelerates the folding rate and a large-sized loop contributes much to the stabilization of the native conformation. We also found that peptide fragment binding contributes little to the acceleration of the folding rate of the residual protein.

Notes: The heat denaturation of pepsinized bovine nonfibrillar and fibrillar collagen was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. For fibrillar preparations that had been rapidly precipitated with stirring at low ionic strength, then resuspended at physiological ionic strength, multiple denaturational transitions were observed. At heating rates of 10°C/min, melting endotherms occurred at about 44, 50, 53, and 57°C. Fibrillar collagen that was slowly gelled without stirring at physiological ionic strength exhibited a similar series of endotherms, but the lower melting transitions were less conspicuous. In contrast, nonfibrillar bovine collagen in acidic solution showed only a single denaturational transition at 40°C. Nonfibrillar solutions at pH 7, to which inhibitors of fibrillogenesis were added, showed a major endotherm as high as 46°C. These results suggest that reconstituted fibrillar collagen contains a heterogeneous fibril population, possibly including molecules in a nonfibrillar state. It was proposed that the multiple melting endotherms of such preparations were due to sequential melting of molecular and fibril classes, each with a distinct melting temperature. The fibrillar classes may represent three or more types of banded and nonbanded species that differ from each other in packing order, collagen concentration, and possibly also in fibril width and level of cross-linking.

Notes: The proton nmr and CD spectra of gramicidin S (GS) cyclic-(Val1,1′-Orn2,2′-Leu3,3′-D-Phe4,4′-Pro5,5′)2 and of GS analogs - namely, [D-Ala4,4′]-GS, [Gly4,4′]-GS, and [L-Ala4,4′]-GS - were analyzed. The molecular conformation of [D-Ala4,4′]-GS is similar to that of GS, with the trans form about the D-Ala-Pro peptide bond. The molecular conformation of [Gly4,4′]-GS depends on the solvent composition of dimethylsulfoxide-d6/trifluoroethanol (DMSO)-d6/TFE and DMSO-d6/H2O as well as the solute concentration. In DMSO-d6 solution, [Gly4,4′]-GS forms the GS-type conformation of the monomer at lower concentration. At higher concentration, the GS-type conformer is converted to the other one that forms molecular aggregates. The cis form about the X-Pro peptide bonds is found for [Gly4,4′]-GS and [L-Ala4,4′]-GS in DMSO-d6 and for [L-Ala4,4′]-GS in TFE solution. The large temperature dependences of α-proton chemical shifts of [L-Ala4,4′]-GS in DMSO-d6 solution indicate that the conformer equilibrium changes with temperature. The GS-type conformation is not formed in [L-Ala4,4′]-GS. The two active peptide analogs, [D-Ala4,4′]-GS and [Gly4,4′]-GS, interact with the phospholipid membrane, taking the GS-type conformation. By contrast, an inactive analog, [L-Ala4,4′]-GS, does not interact with phospholipid membrane. The activities of GS analogs are found to correlate to the formation of the GS-type conformation upon binding with phospholipid membrane.

Notes: The distinctive transverse banding pattern of fibrin fibers clearly indicates ordering of molecules in the longitudinal direction. In this study we examined the fibers of fibrin clots, as well as two types of fibrinogen polymers, by thin-section electron microscopy. The fibrinogen polymers have a transverse banding pattern identical to that of fibrin fibers - clearly indicating a regular longitudinal repeat - but they are larger in diameter, and show little or no branching. We therefore expected their overall ordering to be better than that of fibrin fibers. Several different fixation protocols were used. We readily observed the typical transverse banding seen previously by negative stain and metal replication techniques. However, only very rarely was any regular lateral lattice seen in any of the samples. X-ray diffraction was used to examine unfixed specimens of the two fibrinogen polymers and, once again, although a longitudinal repeat was evident, only rarely was evidence for lateral crystallinity seen. The electron-microscope and x-ray results showed that the needles and pellet fibers of fibrinogen have essentially the same internal architecture as thick fibrin fibers, and that all three types of polymer, although clearly transversely banded, have almost no crystallinity in their lateral protofibril packing.

Notes: The kinetics of the formation of the complex between bovine β-trypsin and the porcine pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI; Kazal-type inhibitor) was investigated following the spectral changes associated with the displacement of proflavine from the enzyme, upon inhibitor binding, between pH 3.5 and 8.0 (I = 0.1M) at 21 ± 0.5°C. With inhibitor in excess over the enzyme ([PSTI] ≥ 5 × [bovine β-trypsin]), the time course of the reaction corresponds to a pseudo-first-order process. Over the whole pH range explored, the concentration dependence of the rate is second order at low PSTI concentrations but tends to first order at high inhibitor concentrations. This behavior may be explained by a relatively fast pre-equilibrium followed by a limiting first-order process. Values of kinetic parameters for PSTI binding to bovine β-trypsin depend, between pH 3.5 and 8.0, on the acid-base equilibrium of a single ionizing group (probably His-57 of bovine β-trypsin) that undergoes an acidic pKa shift from 7.0 in the free bovine β-trypsin to 5.5 in the enzyme:PSTI complex. Kinetics of the bovine β-trypsin:PSTI adduct formation has been analyzed and compared with that of other (pro)enzyme:inhibitor reactions. Considering the known molecular structures of free serine (pro)enzymes, of Kazal- and Kunitz-type inhibitors, as well as of their complexes, the binding behavior of PSTI to bovine β-trypsin has been related to the inferred stereochemistry of the proteinase:inhibitor contact region.

Notes: The charge-transfer complexes of a poly(L-tryptophan) sequence with imidazolium hydrochloride and poly(L-histidine hydrochloride) have been investigated in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol by ultraviolet (uv), circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence techniques. Both complexes exhibit absorption maxima centered at around 275 nm, whereas hypochromism with respect to the combined spectra of the constituents can be observed below 250 nm. All complexes show optical activity in the near uv and in the peptide absorption region, which is discussed in terms of the conformational properties of the donor. A marked decrease of the fluorescence intensity of the L-tryptophan sequence is observed upon addition of imidazolium hydrochloride and poly(L-histidine hydrochloride). From the fluorescence data the formation constant of the charge-transfer complex between the L-tryptophan sequence and imidazolium ions is also evaluated.

Notes: Spectrophotometric titrations of slightly substituted carboxymethylamylose (CM-Amy) and diethylaminoethylamylose (DEAE-Amy) with iodine in the presence of iodide (I2/I-) were carried out as a function of iodide concentration, temperature, and polymeric charge. Binding isotherms for the polymer-I2/I- complex are reported in terms of an apparent binding constant (Ka) plotted versus degree of saturation of the complex (θ). The dependence of Ka upon polymeric charge is interpreted as evidence for the negatively charged character of the bound species. The cooperative nature of the binding process is evident in the positive slope of Ka vs (θ). Whereas the apparent binding constants and binding cooperativities for the derivatives are smaller than for the amylose-I2/I- complex, the binding enthalpies deduced from the temperature dependence of Ka at θ = 0.5 appear to be the same for amylose and CM-Amy. A viscometric titration of fully charged CM-Amy with I2/I-, conducted at dialysis equilibrium between the CM-Amy-I2/I- solution and the polymer-free solvent phase, disclosed a maximum in the plot of intrinsic viscosity ([η]) vs θ. The increase in [η] at small θ was interpreted as a reflection of polyelectrolyte expansion provoked by absorption of the negatively charged bound species; the subsequent decline in [η] is attributed to stabilization by I2/I- of compact helical sequences or to the formation at higher θ of intermolecular aggregates.

Notes: The effect of various salts on the enzymatic activity of beef-liver glutamate dehydrogenase, on the binary enzyme-reduced coenzyme (NADH or NADPH) comples, as well as on the ternary complex with glutamate was investigated in aqueous solution (0.067M phosphate buffer, pH 7.6). Binding studies in the analytical ultracentrifuge and circular dichroism measurements indicated dissociation of the coenzyme from the enzyme-coenzyme complex by the action of various salts. The efficiency of this change was largely dependent on the type of anion present and generally followed the series: acetate 〈 Br- 〈 I- 〈 SCN-. Acetate ions and guanidinium thiocyanate showed exceptional behaviour in some cases, while K+ and Na+ gave similar results. The reversibility of the ion effects on the enzymatic activity was demonstrated by dilution tests. Upon addition of salts, the inhibitory effect of GTP was slightly changed in most cases, while the activating effects of ADP and L-leucine were practically abolished and with ADP, the halides caused an additional inhibition. Assuming an equilibrium involving dissociation of the enzyme-coenzyme complex by the action of salts, an exponent of 1.3 for NaBr and of 2.0 for KSCN was calculated for the respective concentrations. The apparent equilibrium constants were evaluated to be about 20 times greater for KSCN than for NaBr.

Notes: Poly(Glu(OBzl)-Gly)n, poly(Glu-Gly)n, poly(Gly)-(Glu(OBzl)-Gly), and poly(Gly-Glu-Gly) were synthesized from the pentachlorophenyl esters of the sequential monomer. Both of the polymers containing free glumatic-acid residues are soluble in water, as is the lower molecular weight fraction of the polytripeptides with the benzyl ester in place. Circular dichroism studies and infrared dichroism studies suggest that the 21 helix is favored for the polydipeptide with removal of the benzyl ester reducing the conformational integrity. The polytripeptide showed evidence of 31 helix in addition to the 21 form, depending on solvent. A rationale for the conformations observed is developed based on the bulkiness of the side-chain residues and conformational stabilization, in certain cases, by hydrophobic interactions between the benzyl ester groups.

Notes: The thermoelastic behavior of water solvated elastin has been investigated in simple tension, in the temperature range 0-70°C. Specimens purified from both the ox ligamentum nuchae and pig thoracic aorta have been studied. Force data obtained by cycling the temperature for various constant specimen lengths display a separated variable dependence of the form f = A(T)B(α), where T is absolute temperature and α the extension ratio. For ligament elastin B(α) is a linear function whereas for aortic elastin it is a nonlinear function. The applicability of the rubber elasticity theory to elastin has been tested by setting A(T) equal to the temperature-dependent front factor for simple tension of a homogeneous rubber whilst B(α) is left undefined. In this way it has been possible to take into account the fibrous nonhomogeneity of the polymer, and also to avoid any inconsistency within the theory of attributing a dependence of the variable fe/f upon extension ratio. The behavior of both ligament and aortic elastin agrees well with the conclusion that the dominant deformation mechanism is entropy elastic, fe/f ≪ 1. The linearity of the load isotherm for ligament elastin permits a particularly simple experimental procedure using a single force-temperature plot for one value of interclamp length. Using this procedure high precision has been obtainble, and the data shows a close adherence to the theory with fe/f = 0.1. The relationship between this result and current controversy over the molecular conformation of elastin is discussed.

Notes: Methods are given for analyzing regularly spaced patterns of amino acids in proteins and applied to the α1 chain of collagen. Fourier methods use the transform of the sequence either embedded in a very long array or folded onto a fundamental base period. Filtering through a moveable “window” of definite width is used to display almost regular features at any chosen frequency. A pattern detection method is described for patterns of general shape. Collagen has statistically significant periodicities at fractions of the stagger distance D = 670 Å. Hydrophobic groups show strong orders of 5, 6, 11; proline 5; charged groups 6, 18, 21. Charged residues mostly occur as neutral pairs. Their distribution has strong 6th and 21st orders which also appear in the changes which are paired at multiples of D. Charge pairs separated by (D + 3) residues show a strong 5D/89 pattern and may form a system of salt bridges across the fibril. There is no sign of any regular pattern of amino acids over the triple helix with a period close to its natural pitch of 30 residues. Supercoiled models with six relative turns of the contact edge between paired triple-helical strands are examined.

Notes: Circular dichroism spectra have been obtained for cationic poly(L-arginine) and poly(L-histidine) in aqueous solutions containing varying amounts of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The detergent induces a disorder-order transition in both polypeptides. In each case the transition is cooperative and occurs when the ratio of detergent to amino acid residue is near unity. The ordered structure formed by poly(L-arginine) is readily identifiable as an α helix. Poly(L-histidine) appears to form a β structure in which the 211-nm electronic absorption band of the imidazole group exhibits significant rotatory strength.

Notes: We have measured the circular dichroism (CD) and absorption properties of poly[r(G-U)] and poly [d(G-T)] over a wide range of Na+ concentrations and temperatures. We find evidence for self-complexed forms of these polymers at lower temperatures and/or higher Na+ concentrations than generally needed for double-strand formation in other DNA and RNA polymers. These self-complexes could be composed of double-stranded regions with weak G·U or G·T base pairs.

Notes: Comparative studies on the interaction of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) with polylysine and polyarginine have been made by equilibrium dialysis and fluorescence or circular dichroism measurements, to investigate the structural characteristics of the polypeptides. The results are summarized as follows: (i) ANS binds to either of the polypeptides primarily by electrostatic interaction while hydrophobic interaction partially facilitates the dye binding; both interactions are stronger in the polyarginine-dye binding than the polylysine-dye binding. (ii) The fluorescence of ANS is more intensified when the dye binds to polyarginine than to polylysine regardless of the value of r (number of bound dye per amino-acid residue) of polypeptide-dye complexes, although the intensification depends on the r value and becomes maximum at r = 0.25-0.35 for both cases. (iii) The binding of ANS to each polypeptide is cooperative at r 〈 0.4. (iv) The circular dichroism is more efficiently induced in the spectral region of ANS by binding to polyarginine than to polylysine.From these results, it was concluded that, compared to polylysine, polyarginine suffers some structural change by ANS binding into a more compact molecular configuration having some regularity with a lower dielectric environment.

Notes: Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of poly(dA), poly(dT), poly(dA)·poly(dT), and poly[d(A-T)]·poly[d(T-A)] have been measured as a function of temperature. From these data difference spectra have been calculated by subtracting the spectrum measured at low temperature from the spectra measured at higher temperatures. The CD difference spectra obtained upon melting of the two double-stranded polymers are very similar. From a comparison of these difference spectra with calculated ones it is shown that optical transitions near 272 nm (on A) and 288 nm (most probably on T) are present. The premelting changes of the CD spectrum of poly[d(A-t)]·poly[d(T-A)] are due to a change in conformation in which the secondary structure goes from a C- to B-type spectrum by increasing the A-type nature of the polymer. Such a change is not observed for poly(dA)·poly(dT). Instead, a transition between two different B-type geometries occurs.

Notes: The solution characterization of poly(Lys-Ala-Glu) is described. This polytripeptide is zwitterionic at neutral pH and is shown to take on a conformation which is dictated by the state of ionization, molecular weight, temperature, and solvent. The polypeptide is almost entirely α-helical at low pH and temperature for polymers of greater than 25,000 molecular weight. Melting profiles for these conditions show tm ∼ 20°C. Analysis of circular dichroism curves shows the α-helical content to vary in a linear manner with molecular weight in the range 3000-30,000. At neutral pH the charged polypeptide is essentially random, but substantial α-helix could be induced by addition of methanol or trifluoroethanol. At temperatures where the sequential polypeptide is a random coil, addition of trifluoroethanol produces a polymer which is mostly α-helical but also contains an appreciable ammount of β-structure. The infrared spectrum of a low-molecular-weight fraction assumed to be cyclo(Lys-Ala-Glu)2 was tentatively assigned a β-pleated sheet structure.A comparison of this polytripeptide in various ionization states with other polytripeptides containing L-alanine and L-glutamate or L-lysine shows the α-helix directing properties for the (uncharged) residues to lie in the order Ala 〉 Glu 〉 Lys.

Notes: Previously used procedures for processing the amino acids from 6N hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of poly[N5-(4-hydroxybutyl)-L-glutamine], poly[N5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-L-glutamine], and several random copolymers derived from these, led to the formation of spurious products. These have been isolated and characterized as the γ-ester of glutamic acid and the hydroxyalkyl amine, and chloro-alkyl amine hydrochloride. The former reduces the observed values for glutamic acid, but the latter has no effect on them. A method is used to avoid formation of these artifacts in the amino-acid analysis. Of all the copolymers studied previously in this series, the compositions of only those containing L-serine are in error as a result of the formation of the γ-ester. A redetermination of the amino-acid compositions of the copolymer fractions studied earlier leads to slightly revised values for the Zimm-Bragg parameters σ and s of serine.

Notes: A new technique is presented for treating the ground state of an heteropolymer with a random sequence of components. An exact system of equations is found for determining the ground state energy E which is equal to the polymer free energy f in the lowest-order approximation in T/V (V/2 is the large “surface” energy arising at the boundaries between coiled and “helical” sections: V ≫ T, Uk; U1 and -U2 are the free energies of the components counted from the corresponding coiled state energies). These equations are essentially simplified at certain fixed values of the ratio U1/U2. For integer values of U2/U1 and U1/U2 a solution is obtained with an accuracy exp(-V/Uk). The ground-state energy as a function of U1 and U2 is shown to be highly irregular: its derivatives have jumps at an infinite number of points. These jumps provide a fine structure of the melting curves. A smoothed over the jumps function E′ is found by way of analytic continuation from the integer values of U1/U2 and U2/U1. The accuracy of the approximation f ≈ E is estimated and the correctional term of order T/V is determined.

Notes: In order to obtain information about the conformational characteristics at the nearestneighbor level in the 2′-O-methylated region of t-RNA, as well as in the bizarre 5′-terminus of eucaryotic mRNA, a detailed nuclear magnetic resonance study of 2′-O-methyl-cytidylyl-(3′ → 5′)-cytidine (CmpC) was conducted. Proton spectra were recorded at 270 MHz in the Fourier mode in D2O solutions, 0.01M, pD 7.3 in the temperature range 5-80°C. Complete accurate sets of nmr parameters were derived for each of the nucleotidyl units by a combination of homo-nuclear decouplings and simulation iteration methods. The data were translated into conformational parameters using procedures developed in earlier studies from these laboratories.It is shown that the ribofuranose ring exists at a 2E ⇄ 3E equilibrium with clear preference [(75-80)%] for the 3E mode. The C(4′)-C(5′) and C(5′)-O(5′) bonds form a stable conformational network with outspoken preference for conformers in which Ψ1, Ψ2 ≃ 60° and φ2 ≃ 180°. The orientation of the 3′-phosphate and 2′-O-methyl groups is such that φ1′ ≃ 210° and φ″ ≃ 60°. The phosphodiester bonds are flexible and shift trends for base, H(1′), and H(5″) suggest the existence of a conformational blend of right-handed stack (g-g-), left-handed stack (g+g+), and unstacked arrays (tg- and tg+).Elevation of temperature perturbs the 2E ⇄ 3E equilibrium accompanied with modest depopulation of ψ1, ψ2 ≃ 60° and φ2 ≃ 180° conformers. The major effect of elevation of temperature is in the increase of unstacked arrays at the expense of g-g- and g+g+ conformers. The shift trend of Cmp-H(3′) with temperature shows that torsional variation about O(3′)-P is facilitated by increase in temperature and the preferred rotamer about O(3′)-P in the unstacked form is t (ω1′ = 180°).A detailed comparison of the aqueous solution conformations of CpC and CmpC reveals that 2′-O-methylation causes: (i) a reduction in the magnitude of χ1; (ii) an increase in the population of 3E pucker at the 3′-nucleotidyl unit; and (iii) modest perturbations in the O(3′)-P and P-O(5′) bond conformations. Comparison of the aqueous solution conformations of AmpA and CmpC makes clear that the conformational properties of pyrimidine-pyrimidine and purine-purine dimers which carry a 2′-O-methylated 3′-nucleotidyl unit are significantly different.

Notes: Poly(Lys(Cbz)-Ala-Glu(OBzl)) was prepared by the self-condensation of Lys(Cbz)-Ala-Glu(OBzl)-ONSu in dimethylformamide. After deprotection of the side chains, the product was subjected to Sephadex G-50 chromatography. The molecular weight of unfractionated and fractionated poly(Lys-Ala-Glu) was calculated from a calibrated Sephadex G-50 column, spectrophotometrically from Dnp-(Lys-Ala-Glu), equilibrium centrifugation, and viscosity measurements. Approximately 21% of the unfractionated material was polymeric with the remaining 79% being cyclic and monomeric material. Treatment of polymer hydrolysate with L-amino acid and D-amino acid oxidase indicated poly(Lys-Ala-Glu) to be optically pure. The apparent pKa's of the two ionizable groups were 4.1 and 9.7.

Notes: Yeast tRNA3Leu is one of several tRNA molecules which can adopt a stable, biologically inactive, denatured conformation. The circular dichroism of the native and denatured conformers differs, providing the basis for the present study of the mechanism for the renaturation process. Conversion of the denatured structure to the native takes place in two steps: a rapid change occurring immediately on addition of Mg++, followed by a slower, strongly temperature-dependent step which returns the molecule to its biologically active state. Optimal kinetic data for the second step could be obtained at 285 nm. Analysis of the time dependence of Δε285 by the Guggenheim method demonstrated that this step follows first-order kinetics. The temperature dependence of the rate constants over the range 32-41°C yielded the following parameters for the rate-limiting step: Ea = 69 kcal/mole, ΔH

Notes: The methods suggested earlier for the analysis and representation of protein structural data are now extended to the helical regions in finer details. These enable better handling of characterization of bends and distortions, for which statistical parameters are also developed. Using latest myoglobin data, best experimental parameters for the α-helix are deduced to be rN = 1.55 (0.13) Å, rCα = 2.28 (0.12) Å, rC′ = 1.70 (0.10) Å, r0 = 2.02 (0.12) Å, φ = 100.5 (2.3)°, and t = 1.495 (0.055) Å.

Notes: We have monitored the helix-coil transition of the self-complementary d-CpCpGpG and d-GpGpCpC sequences (20mM strand concentration) at the base pairs, sugar rings, and backbone phosphates by 360-MHz proton and 145.7-MHz phosphorus nmr spectroscopy in 0.1M phosphate solution between 5 and 95°C. The guanine 1-imino Watson-Crick hydrogen-bonded protons, characteristic of the duplex state, are observed below 10°C, with solvent exchange occurring by transient opening of the tetranucleotide duplexes. The cytosine 4-amino Watson-Crick hydrogen-bonded protons resonate 1.5 ppm downfield from the exposed protons at the same position in the tetranucleotide duplexes, with slow exchange indicative of restricted rotation about the C-N bond below 15°C. The guanine 2-amino exchangeable protons in the tetranucleotide sequence exhibit very broad resonances at low temperatures and narrow average resonances above 20°C, corresponding to intermediate and fast rotation about the C-N bond, respectively. Solvent exchange is slower at the amino protons compared to the imino protons since the latter broaden out above 10°C. The well-resolved nonexchangeable base proton chemical shifts exhibit helix-coil transition midpoints between 37 and 42°C. The transition midpoints and the temperature dependence of the chemical shifts at low temperatures were utilized to differentiate between resonances located at the terminal and internal base pairs while the H-5 and H-6 doublets of individual cytosines were related by spin decoupling studies. For each tetranucleotide duplex, the cytosine H-5 resonances exhibit the largest chemical shift change associated with the helix-coil transition, a result predicted from calculations based on nearest-neighbor atomic diamagnetic anisotropy and ring current contributions for a B-DNA duplex. There is reasonable agreement between experimental and calculated chemical shift changes for the helix-coil transition at the internal base pairs but the experimental shifts exceed the calculated values at the terminal base pairs due to end-to-end aggregation at low temperatures. Since the guanine H-8 resonances of the CpCpGpG and d-CpCpGpG sequences exhibit upfield shifts of 0.6-0.8 and 〈0.1 ppm, respectively, on duplex formation, these RNA and DNA tetranucleotides with the same sequence must adopt different base-pair overlap geometries. The large chemical shift changes associated with duplex formation at the sugar H-1′ triplets are not detected at the other sugar protons and emphasize the contribution of the attached base at the 1′ position. The coupling sum between the H-1′ and the H-2′ and H-2″ protons equals 15-17 Hz at all four sugar rings for the d-CpCpGpG and d-GpGpCpC duplexes (25°C), consistent with a C-3′ exo sugar ring pucker for the deoxytetranucleotides in solution. The temperature dependent phosphate chemical shifts monitor changes in the ω,ω′ angles about the O-P backbone bonds, in contrast to the base-pair proton chemical shifts, which monitor stacking interactions.

Notes: A strong, positive, extrinsic CD band ([θ]242.5 = ∼2 × 10-3 deg cm2/dmole) has been observed for a α-bromo-poly[methylene-1,4-phenylenecarbonyloxyethylene(dimethylamino) bromide] (I). The extrinsic Cotton effect is attributed to the ordered arrangement of the aromatic chromophores along the DNA helix.The extrinsic band had a linear dependence on the amount of polycation I added from r ≤ 0.3 to r = ∼0.5, but decreased thereafter. Addition of the polycation decreased the positive CD band of DNA at 275 nm. The transformation of B → C form in the presence of salts or other polycations caused similar changes. The decrease in [θ]275 was reversed at higher concentrations of the polycation (r 〉 0.4).Thermal denaturation studies indicated both stabilization of the helix conformation (Δtm = 21°C) and a high degree of cooperativity in the melting of DNA-polycation complex as compared to native calf thymus DNA. Using the linear relationship between r (polycation residue/DNA phosphate) and F (fraction of bound base pairs), a value of 0.6 was derived for β (number of monomer residues of polycation/nucleotide).Both electrostatic and hydrophobic effects probably influence the stability of the DNA-polycation complex, since the strength of the 242.5 nm CD band is a function of both salt and urea concentrations.

Notes: From the results of 13C-nmr measurement of poly(β-benzyl-L-aspartate) and its model compounds in dimethyl sulphoxide/deuterated chloroform mixtures, it was found that the side chain of poly(β-benzyl-L-aspartate) is solvated by dimethyl sulphoxide in the region more than dimethyl sulphoxide 20% (v/v), where the backbone maintains the α-helix. The chemical shift differences in the benzyl group carbons of poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) (trifluoroacetic acid/deuterated chloroform) accompanied by the helix-coil transition, originate from the interaction between the ester group of the side chain and trifluoroacetic acid. The chemical shift difference in the ester carbon is similar. On the other hand, the chemical shift differences of the side-chain carbons in the alkyl portion (Cβ, Cγ) originate not only from the interaction between the ester group of the side chain and trifluoroacetic acid, but also from some other unknown factors. The chemical shift differences of the side-chain carbons of poly(β-benzyl-L-aspartate) originate from the interaction between the ester group of the side chain and trifluoroacetic acid.

Notes: The dielectric properties of DNA solutions at low frequencies (5 Hz to 2 kHz) have been measured by means of a four-terminal bridge method utilized to minimize electrode polarization errors. At 24°C native salt-free DNA has a very large specific dielectric increment, Δε/c = 9.8 × 106 l/mol and a very low frequency relaxation centered at 18 Hz. Both the dielectric increment and the relaxation time are greatly decreased by partial heat denaturation at temperatures above 60°C or by addition of salt, the effects being much larger for divalent anions. These results are shown to be in qualitative agreement with theoretical treatments of counterion fluctuation polarization by McTague and Gibbs for the equilibrium case and by Mandel for relaxation. The ratio of the relaxation time for the low-frequency process to that previously observed at much higher frequencies suggests that these relaxations result from counterion fluctuations along the longitudinal and transverse axes of the molecule, respectively.

Notes: Polysarcosine having sulfhydryl groups attached to both ends was synthesized by the NCA method and its air-oxidation was investigated in aqueous solution with cupric-ion or ferric-ion catalysts. Air-oxidation was also conducted for a polysarcosine having one terminal sulfhydryl group. The product of the air-oxidation was fractionated by gel chromatography. The product analysis of the fully oxidized monofunctional polymer showed that the sulfhydryl groups were converted into disulfide bonds exclusively. There was no evidence for the interchange between two disulfide linkages or between a disulfide linkage and a sulfhydryl group during the air-oxidation. The analysis of the products from the bifunctional polysarcosine showed that they were composed of a series of cyclic “monomer,” “dimer,” “trimer,” and higher “oligomers.” The cyclic structure was characterized by the larger elution volume in the gel chromatogram than that for a linear homologue having the same molecular weight. The weight fraction of each cyclic oligomer was determined by gel chromatography. The fraction of cyclic monomer F1 decreased monotonously with increasing the chain length. Smaller values of F1 were observed with cupric-ion catalyst than with ferric-ion catalyst. The dependence of F1 on the polymer concentration was much smaller than that expected from a simple competition mechanism between intra- and intermolecular reactions. These results indicate that the choice between intra- and intermolecular reactions is governed by the mode of the coordination of sulfhydryl groups to transition metal ions.

Notes: The wavelength dependence of the refractive index increments of bovine serum albumin and bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase solutions was determined in the range 650-300 nm. It was shown, by measuring the extinction coefficients of glutamate dehydrogenase under conditions of widely differing molecular weights, that a significant scattering correction need not be applied to correct extinction measurements in the absorbtion band. The molecular weight of glutamate dehydrogenase oligomer determined by light scattering and sedimentation equilibrium agrees with the value calculated from the primary structure, if a recently reported value of the extinction coefficient is used.

Notes: We report here a novel ir technique that we use to determine the apparent van't Hoff's energy for the distillation of water from protein amide and acid groups. The method is used to study the hydration properties of ten different proteins. The results show that water removal from the environment of ion-paired acid groups (those ≤ 4 Å from a basic group on the protein surface) requires less energy than water removal from the environment of nonpaired acid groups. These observations are supported by an analysis of the solvent distributions in protein crystal structures. A model is proposed for the interaction between water and protein acid groups, and this model is used to account for the distributions and properties of certain eye-lens proteins.

Notes: A set of large positive extrinsic CD bands ([θ]333 = 2.6 X 104 deg-cm2/decimole phosphate) in the 〉 300 nm region as well as diminution of the intrinsic signals (θ275) have been observed in the CD spectra of various nucleic acids complexed with the achiral compound, N-poly{α-[N-(4-pyridylethylene-4-pyridyl-N′-)α′-p-xylyl]dibromide}-4-pyridylethylene-4-pyridinium bromide, (polymer X).1,2,5 The signal changes are attributed to the binding of polymer X chromophores isogeometrically to the DNA helix in an ordered chiral arrangement. Fractionation of polymer X gives 10 well-separated oligomers. The oligomers were characterized by nmr. Their interactions with DNA have been investigated with respect to r(r = ratio of equivalents of polymer X charge/g-atoms DNA phosphorus) and n (oligomer chain length). In all cases where n ≥ 1, [θ]333 increases linearly with increasing r between 0 and 0.32, and is accompanied by a corresponding decrease in [θ]275, which becomes negative as r approaches .32. Extrinsic band intensities reveal a dependence on n up to n = 5, above which increases in nonspecific binding result in a reduction in normalized band intensities. Polymer X shows a strong preference for B-form nucleic acids and induces maximum extrinsic CD signal intensities with A-T homopolymers. Alterations in helix hydration are believed to accompany complex formation. Inversions in [θ]275 of the octamer X-poly(dA-dT) complex have been attributed to the “alternating B” conformation of poly(dA-dT).3 Similar inversions are not observed in other nucleic acid-octamer X complexes. Visible and CD spectrometry data from competition studies in the presence of the antibiotics actinomycin D (AMD), daunomycin (DM), and distamycin A (DST) are consistent with “nonclassical” intercalation as the mode of binding, and these data place the potential binding site in or near the hydrophobic region of the minor groove. Reductions in [θ]333 with increasing urea further implicate the involvement of hydrophobic interactions in the formation of an asymmetric complex. Stabilization of the helix results in all cases as evidenced by alterations in Tm; corresponding changes, however, in cooperativity are not clearly discernable. Viscosity and light-scattering data indicate no changes in molecular weight due to aggregation, and as such are not consistent with a transition to the ψ-DNA upon complex formation.

Notes: The vacuum CD spectra of poly(rG-dC)·poly(rG-dC) and poly(dG-m5dC)·poly(dG-m5dC) have been obtained for the low-salt Z-conformations of both polymers. The spectra are very similar to those for the high-salt Z-forms. This behavior is consistent with the suggestion that the low- and high-salt Z-forms are comprised of different proportions of ZI- and ZII-conformations.

Notes: The chain association of pectic molecules with different levels and patterns of esterification during calcium-induced gelation was studied by methods such as light scattering, viscometry, and determination of calcium activity coefficient and of calcium transport parameter. A gel point can be determined, assuming a power law including a critical ratio (equivalent concentration of calcium ions/pectin carboxylic groups) and quasi-critical exponents varying in the range 0.50-1.26. The values of these critical parameters were discussed as a function of polymer concentration, of level and pattern of esterification, and of the nature of the divalent counterion. The lower these values are, the better, apparently, the gel-forming ability of the pectins is.

Notes: Sequences 74-91 and 77-91 of E. coli thioredoxin, which according to x-ray structure contain an irregular β-turn, a hairpinlike structural element, have been synthesized and their conformational properties in solution have been investigated by means of CD spectroscopy. In addition, analogs of these sequences, containing the regular β-turn element Gly-Pro-(Gly)2, have also been prepared and investigated. These are BOC-Ile-Gly-Pro-(Gly)2-Val-OMe (III) and BOC-(Ile)3Gly-Pro-(Gly)2-(Val)5-OMe (IV) that on the basis of probability, should form hairpin structures stabilized by intramolecular interactions. While the natural sequences were shown to be unable to adopt structures characterized by an intrinsic conformational stability, the two analogs showed evidence of intramolecular folding in methanol and trifluoroethanol-water solution. In particular, the CD spectra are indicative of β-structure. The most interesting case was observed for compound IV, as the highest degree of conformational order was present in solutions containing a large proportion of water. In addition, the formation of this structure took place in a highly cooperative manner. The results are utilized to discuss whether and to what extent conformationally stable folding peptide units of small size can be formed in aqueous solution.

Notes: The conformational properties of 5-fluorouracil derivatives are compared to uracil derivatives. FUrd, 5′-FUMP, and poly(FU) are studied as a function of pH and temperature by 19F- and 1H-nmr spectroscopy, and the corresponding uracil derivatives by 1H-nmr spectroscopy. FUrd exhibits no significant conformational changes with solution pH (5-10). In contrast, at low pH (6-7) 5′-FUMP and 5′-UMP show similar conformational features, while at high pH (9) 5′-FUMP shows significant conformational alterations. Also, poly(U) and poly(FU) are conformationally similar at low pH, but increasing pH induces changes in poly(FU). These changes are observed in the backbone [γ(C4′-C5′)], furanose, and furanose-base conformations. The apparent pKa of N3-H ionization of the FUra base is determined by 1H- and 19F-nmr to range from 7.5 to 8.2 [FUrd 〈 5′-FUMP 〈 5′-FUDP 〈 poly(FU)]. These observations are interpreted as a result of electrostatic interactions generated between the ionized phosphate group and the negatively charged base moiety as the pH is raised. The interaction properties of poly(FU) with ApA are studied by 1H- and 19F-nmr spectroscopy, and these properties compared to those published for poly(U). Poly(FU) forms a complex with ApA inducing upfield 1H-shifts in both components, and downfield 19F- shifts in poly(FU). The base stoichiometry of the complex for poly(U)·ApA is 2U:1A at various U/A ratios. In contrast, the base stoichiometry of the poly(FU)·ApA complex appears to be dependent on the FU/A ratio. At high FU/A ratio, the complex is 2FU:1A, and as the FU/A ratio approaches unity the complex becomes 1FU:1A.

Notes: The sequential polypeptides (L-Arg-X-Gly)n, where X represents amino acid residues Ala, Val, and Leu, were prepared as models of arginine-rich histones to be used in studying their structure and their interactions with DNA. The polymerization was carried out on the pentachlorophenyl active esters of the appropriate tripeptides, while the toluene-4-sulfonyl group was used for protecting the arginine guanido group. CD was employed to investigate the conformation of (L-Arg-X-Gly)n polymers in aqueous solutions, at different pH, as well as in trifluoroenthanol and hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol solutions. In aqueous solutions (at pH 7 and 12) the prepared sequential polymers behaved as a random coil. The CD spectra in various trifluoroethanol-water or hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol-water mixtures indicated that the degree of helical conformation of the studied polytripeptides increased in the order of Ala → Val → Leu. The opposite was true for the β-structure. Characteristics of β-turn are excluded from the poly(L-Arg-L-Leu-Gly), which assumed the most pronounced helical conformation. The poly(L-Arg-L-Val-Gly) exerts a significant preference to the β-turn structure compared to that of poly(L-Arg-L-Ala-Gly). Thus the probability for helical, β-structure or β-turn conformations of the polymers was analyzed in relation to the bulkiness and length, and to the special features of the X-residue side chain (β-branching). We concluded that the prepared sequential arginine-containing polypeptides are plausible models for histone fractions, f3 and f2α1.

Notes: The assignment of a large number of resonances in the 300-MHz 1H-nmr spectrum of the polypeptide neurotoxin Anemonia sulcata toxin I is described. The initial identification of spin systems is made using both one- and two-dimensional nmr spectra. The subsequent assignment of these spin systems to specific residues in the molecule is based largely on the observation in two-dimensional spectra of through-space connectivities between Hα and NH resonances from adjacent residues in the amino acid sequence. Using these techniques, the full spin systems of 22 residues are specifically assigned, together with partial assignments for a further 8. Many of the spin systems from the remaining 16 residues have been defined, although not yet specifically assigned. From the pattern of through-space connectivities between protons from adjacent residues in the sequence, some inferences may be drawn concerning the secondary structure of this polypeptide in aqueous solution.

Notes: Applying scanning optical harmonic microscopy to biological tissue for the first time, we have discovered that the macroscopic polarity of rat-tail tendon is due to a coherent network of discrete polar structures. This finding permits isolation of these structures for further detailed analysis, which should lead to their complete characterization and thus to a solution of the twenty-year-old mystery of connective tissue polarity.

Notes: A calculational method developed by G. K. Youngren and A. Acrivos [J. Fluid Mech. 75, 377 (1975)] expresses the fluid forces exerted over the surface of an immersed body in terms of differences between body and fluid motions. As opposed to bead-model approaches, this method starts from an essentially exact hydrodynamic expression, and therefore should be of particular interest to those workers trying to obtain accurate coefficients needed to characterize the diffusive and viscoelastic behavior of macromolecules with complex shapes. However, Youngren and Acrivos's treatment has not been widely adopted nor even used as a proper starting place for higher order bead-model methods. This is probably related to the unfamiliar appearance of their exact expression, which involves two surface integral terms as opposed to the single summation involved in bead models. We show that their expression may be rewritten in the expected analogous form involving one surface integral term whenever stick boundary conditions are applied to a rigid body or a flexible body composed of rigid segments. For spherical segments, we obtain Rotne-Prager-type bead-model results by following typical assumptions. Extensions to deformable particles are considered, in which internal friction can be represented by an arbitrarily viscous internal fluid.

Notes: The base and sugar protons of the d(G-G-T-A-T-A-C-C) duplex have been assigned from two-dimensional correlated (COSY) and nuclear Overhauser effect (NOESY) measurements in D2O solution at 25°C. The nucleic acid protons have been assigned from NOEs between protons on adjacent bases on the same and partner strands, as well as from NOEs between the base protons and their own and 5′-flanking H1′, H2′, H2″, H3′, and H4′ sugar protons. These assignments are confirmed from coupling constant and NOE connectivities within the sugar protons of a given residue. Several of these NOEs exhibit directionality and demonstrate that the d(G-G-T-A-T-A-C-C) duplex is a right-handed helix. The relative magnitude of the NOEs between the base protons and the sugar H2′ protons of its own and 5′-flanking sugar demonstrate that the TATA segment of the d(G-G-T-A-T-A-C-C) duplex adopts a B-DNA type helix geometry in solution, in contrast to the previous observation of a A-type helix for the same octanucleotide duplex in the crystalline state.

Notes: The thermally elicited structural and conformational transitions of the polynucleotide analog, poly(-)-2-[2-(thymin-1-yl)propanamido]propenoic acid, P(-)TDHA, have been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and thermogravmetric analysis (TGA). The differential scanning calorimetry curves obtained on solid P(-)TDHA samples exhibited five distinct transitions. The transition occurring at 50°C is attributed to a disruption of interactions involving thymine-thymine stacking. In contrast the transition observed at 83°C is attributed to a hydrogen-bonding interaction involving the thymine residues, whereas the transition occurring at 110°C is assigned to hydrogen bonding of the carboxylic acid side-chain groups. The transitions observed at 50, 83, and 110°C are reversible if the heated and quenched sample is allowed to equilibrate in an atmosphere of high humidity. The transition occurring at 127°C is viewed as a structural rearrangement of the polymer backbone that does not involve the participation of water molecules. The transition observed at a temperature above 197°C is attributed to a structural modification of the polymer resulting from decomposition. Solutions of P(-)TDHA in 0.1M phosphate buffer at pH 7.05 showed only a single transition at 50°C, which is in accord with an observed transition in the solid state assigned to the disruption of base-stacking interactions. The average enthalpy for the transition at 50°C was 0.92 cal/g in the solid state and 1.08 cal/g for the solution, which provides additional support for the assignment.

Notes: The effective diffusion rate of a tracer molecule through a polymer network can be influenced by nonspecific binding. If such binding occurs, the local density fluctuations (segmental diffusion) of the network molecules will contribute to the net displacements of tracer molecules. If the network is strongly interconnected by entanglement or cross-linking, these local motions will only carry the tracer molecules over a small region, and effective transport would require dissociation and reassociation of the tracer molecule to another part of the network. Alternatively, tracer molecules could be transferred directly (intersegment transfer) between different parts of the network whenever they are brought sufficiently close by the density fluctuations. A wormlike-chain model for the segmental diffusion of a polymer is used to describe the network motions and to derive the effective diffusion rate for a tracer molecule as a function of network density and binding constant with or without intersegment transfer contributing. It is found that the density dependence for the effective diffusion of ethidium bromide through dense DNA solutions studied by photobleaching recovery [R. D. Icenogle and E. L. Elson (1983) Biopolymers 22, 1949-1966] agrees with an intersegment-transfer mechanism limited by the segmental DNA motions. The calculations are also applied to a model for the intracellular diffusion of molecules loosely bound to the cytomatrix. If intersegment transfer dominates it can account for the observed size independence for the intracellular diffusion rates of various injected macromolecules.

Notes: By combining measurements of the enzymatic release of fibrinopeptide A (FPA) with measurements of intensity and linewidth of Rayleigh scattering from fibrin polymer solutions prior to gelation, we have systematically tested a variety of predictions that can be made on the basis of a simple geometrical abstraction of fibrin polymerization. The experimental investigations include FPA content of fibrin polymers, aggregation of fibrin with fibrinogen, enzyme kinetics, shift of the chemical equilibrium by adding Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro or fibrinogen to the polymer solution, evolution of the polymerization, and influence of fibrinopeptide B release. Among the considered geometrical abstractions there is only one that survives the experimental tests and at the same time is compatible with the electron micrographs by other authors. The main conclusions that can be drawn are (1) the location of binding sites A must be taken from the structure of the fibrinogen molecule proposed by Hoeprich and Doolittle [Biochemistry (1983) 22, 2049-2055], (2) The fibrinogen monomer is basically centrosymmetric, (3) the state of polymerization is reversible and corresponds to a chemical equilibrium, and (4) Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics can be applied.

Notes: Laser light-scattering has been used to investigate the size of native proteoglycan aggregates (PGA-aA1) from day-8 chick limb-bud chondrocyte cultures isolated under associative extraction and purification conditions in 0.4M guanidinium chloride (GdnHCl) solution. Dynamic light-scattering measurements yielded a hydrodynamic radius, Rs, of 244 ± 10 nm for PGA-aA1 in 0.4M GdnHCl, and a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 150 ± 50 × 106 was obtained from a Zimm plot. Disaggregation in 4.0M GdnHCl aqueous solution yielded proteoglycan subunits (PGS) with Rs = 39 ± 2 nm, Mw = 1.6 ± 0.3 × 106, which reassembled in 0.4M GdnHCl to form “reconstituted native” aggregates (PGA-raA1) with Rs = 121 ± 6 nm, Mw = 17 ± 3 × 106. A second specimen of PGA-aA1 had Rs = 192 ± 10 nm, Mw = 100 ± 10 × 106. The latter value was estimated from an empirical relationship between Mw and Rs. After dissociation, this specimen reassembled to form PGA-raA1 with Rs = 85 ± 5 nm, Mw = 12 ± 1 × 106. These data are compared with those for a specimen of reconstituted aggregate (PGA-A1) that had been extracted under dissociative conditions and then reaggregated by dialysis to 0.4M GdnHCl aqueous solution, for which Rs = 138 ± 9 nm, Mw = 45 ± 8 × 106. From these values, we have calculated the weight-average number of subunits per aggregate Nw: 111 for PGA-aA1 and 12 for raA1 (70 and 7 for the second PGA-aA1 and PGA-raA1 specimen, respectively) as compared to 32 for PGA-A1. The numbers of subunits per aggregate were also determined from electron micrographs of spread specimens. The latter results show the same trends as those obtained by light scattering, but lead in each case to lower numbers of subunits per aggregate. These data demonstrate conclusively that PGA samples exhibit a higher degree of aggregation in solution than visualized in typical electron microscopy (EM) preparations, probably due to disaggregation during EM specimen preparation. Since Nw determined both by light scattering (LS) and by EM are larger for native versus reconstituted aggregate samples, our data point to a more compact aggregation of subunits along the hyaluronic acid (HA) chains in the former.

Notes: Domain effects on the pseudo-first-order kinetics of the reversible and irreversible association of proteins or other ligands with nucleic acids containing multiple binding sites are treated using the classical reaction-diffusion equation applied to a spherical cell model of the nucleic acid solution and a diffuse-sphere model for the nucleic acid chain molecule. Both uniform and Gaussian distributions of chain segments are analyzed. In general, the details of the segment distribution do not have a major effect on the kinetics of association. Domain effects are best examined experimentally by determining the effect of the molecular weight of the nucleic acid on the kinetics of the association reaction. A theoretical framework is presented that permits such data to be analyzed simply. Kinetic studies over a wide range of nucleic acid molecular weights are required in order to separate the contributions of diffusion and reaction to the observed kinetics, and to determine the contributions of site-based and molecule-based elements to the rate constants.

Notes: Experimental results on 2′5′-linked subunit systems of nucleic acids are interpreted to substantiate the view that the 2′5′-linked polynucleotides cannot form double-stranded helical structures. In order to look into this aspect of the 2′5′-linked units, as well as to make a detailed comparison between the conformational characteristics of 3′5′- and 2′5′-linked systems, we carried out an exhaustive theoretical study on A2′p5′A. The method was to compute the various terms of energy contributions to a conformational state and then to minimize the total energy, permitting all the relevant dihedral angles to adjust themselves. Four hundred thirty two probable starting conformations were considered for this treatment, but we found only 10 of them to come under low-energy states, i.e., within 5 kcal/mol energy difference with reference to the global minimum energy state. The characteristic properties of these 10 conformations were compared in detail with those previously obtained on the corresponding 3′5′-linked subunit, as well as such units with other base sequences. As a further step, a model-building study was undertaken. Using the backbone-course, base-stacking, and hydrogen-bonding possibilities of the 10 low-energy conformations of the dimer A2′p5′A, double-stranded helical structures were scrutinized for the 2′5′-linked polynucleotide. Of a few reasonable forms, a right-handed duplex structure satisfied our requirements. We describe this new duplex, making comparisons with the standard A- and B-form states of DNA. The available experimental and theoretical results on 2′5′-linked systems are also analyzed.

Notes: Conformational energy calculations on cyclo(glycyl-L-phenylalanyl), c(Gly-Phe), were carried out by means of the semiempirical MO CNDO/2 method. They corroborated earlier experimental findings that in c(Gly-Phe) the conformations with an aromatic side-chain ring folded over the dioxopiperazine (DOP) ring contribute significantly to the overall equilibrium, provided that the empirical optimization of the DOP ring geometry, extracted from x-ray data, rather than that of the CNDO/2-derived data is used throughout the computations. Following these studies, more detailed calculations, based partly on CNDO/2-derived data and partly on experimental data, were carried out to clarify the question, which are the forces responsible for this ring-ring stacking? In contrast to early suggestions, it was found that the quadrupole-quadrupole and dispersion interactions mainly contribute to folded conformations of c(Gly-Phe). Some implications of this finding on devising force fields for molecular-mechanics calculations of peptides are briefly outlined.

Notes: X-ray diffraction diagrams of 80 specimens, mainly from woody plants, were recorded and resolved into characteristic reflections of cellulose I. Significant differences were observed in d-spacings and integrated intensity ratios between softwoods and hardwoods. Of the lattice parameters, the monoclinic angle was found to be correlated with plant taxonomy and tended towards the right angle in the more advanced taxonomic groups. We have therefore demonstrated that the crystal structure of natural cellulose shows some variations related to the source of the cellulose.

Notes: A method, molecular cartography, is introduced as a way to quantitate the topographic structure of a protein surface. The method is applied to the problem of antigenic determinants, and it is used to examine local and global topography of reported antigenic regions on the surface of myoglobin and lysozyme. In nine antigenic sites taken from the literature and studied in detail, no local property was found in sites that was not also found in remaining regions of the surface. However, a strong correlation was found between antigenic sites and regions of the surface that are globally exposed. This finding suggests that global exposure of the protein surface may play a primary role in determining the antigenic structure of the protein. Molecular cartography may be useful in other instances of protein-protein interactions such as those between proteolytic enzymes and their substrates.