Uranyl-peptide interactions in carbonate solution with DAHK and derivatives

Metal-peptide complexes in a 1:1 ratio between the uranyl cation (UO2(2+)) and the peptides, DAHK or GGH, are observed in the gas phase (ESI-MS). Solution state studies with the same peptides and variants, DGHG, AcDGHG, and DAHKSE-CONH2, indicate that peptide-carboxylato donors can coordinate to the uranyl biscarbonato complex. UV-vis and fluorescence spectra of uranyl carbonate exhibit significant changes or quenching upon addition of peptide. NMR titration data were used to determine conditional association constants, log K = 2.2+/-0.4 and log K = 3.1+/-0.4, for the UO2(CO3)2(GGH)] and UO2(CO3)2(DAHK)] species, respectively. Uranyl asymmetric stretching frequencies for uranyl/ DAHKSE-CONH2 (v3 = 914 cm(-1)) and uranyl/DAHK (v3 = 908 cm(-1)) complexes and other infrared spectral features are also consistent with peptide-carboxylato coordination.