Conformational studies of basic poly (α-amino acid)s in reversed micelles

The conformation of various basic poly (-amino acid)s was investigated by CD measurements in aqueous solutions containing bis (2-ethylhexyl)sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT) as well as in the AOT reversed micelles. The addition of AOT into an aqueous solution of poly(L-lysine) induces the conformational transition from coil to ordered structure, followed by aggregation. On the other hand, poly(L-lysine) assumes-structure in the reversed micelles at low w_ovalue (w_o=[H₂O]/[AOT]). Similarly to poly(L-lysine), poly(L-ornithine) takes an ordered structure in the aqueous solution containing AOT and-structure in the reversed micelles. In this case, however, these ordered structures are not so stable, compared with that of poly(L-lysine). Poly(L-arginine) undergoes the conformational transition from coil to helix by addition of AOT into the aqueous solution. Further addition of AOT allows transformation into-structure. Copoly(L-lysyl-L-leucine) with 63% leucine residue was shown to take a stable helical conformation even in pure water. In the reversed micelles, however, this ordered structure is significantly changed probably because the hydrophobic interaction among the leucyl residues is lowered in the reversed micelles.