Synthesis of poly(L-Tyr-L-Glu-L-Ala-Gly) and poly(L-Glu-L-Lys-L-Ala) and their circular dichroism spectra in aqueous solution

The effect of conformation on the CD of interacting helices: a theoretical study of tropomyosin

A recent report [M. E. Holtzer, et al. (1988) Biophysics Journal, 53, 96a] of the anomalous CD spectrum of the tropomyosin (TM) fragment 11TM127 motivated us to model the system as two 21-residue alpha-helices distorted to a coiled-coil conformation. We used strong-coupling exciton theory to model the optical properties of the system. Two backbone amide excited states (n pi* and pi pi*) were considered, as well as four excited states (Lb, La, Bb, Ba) for the phenolic side chain. We calculated the effect of superhelix formation on the backbone CD spectrum. The decrease in molar ellipticity of the alpha-helix parallel-polarized transition at 208 nm was found to be a simple function of superhelix tilt angle. We then modeled a coiled coil (radius = 5.5 A, pitch = -140 A) with one aromatic ring per superhelix. Steric interactions between aromatic side chains in a coiled coil were calculated as a function of side-chain conformation and heptet position. Steric interactions between phenolic rings will be significant for heptet positions a and d, but not for positions b, c, e, f, or g. We calculated the phenolic Lb transition rotational strength as a function of position within the heptet repeats, and of all possible side-chain dihedral angles, chi 1 and chi 2. When tyrosines were placed at heptet positions b, c, e, f, or g, the rotational-strength surface was nearly identical to that of a single tyrosine in an undistorted helix. In contrast, the rotational-strength surface for tyrosines in heptet positions a or d showed substantial intertyrosine coupling components. The rotational-strength surfaces for the three types of heptet positions (position a, position d, and the others) allowed an interpretation of the aromatic CD spectra of TM and its fragments. It was predicted that the three types of heptet positions will be spectroscopically distinguishable.

Murine Gc globulin binds to a synthetic sequential polypeptide that is a murine B lymphocyte mitogen

A non-immunoglobulin component in mouse serum was found to compete with antibody for the binding of a polyanionic antigen, poly (Tyr-Glu-Ala-Gly). The percent of the polymer (44 ng/ml) bound at physiological pH by the serum component in normal mouse serum was low (18%), but was much higher at pH 6.0 (85%). As a result, the binding of the polyanionic peptide antigen by antibody in immune serum was considerably lower at pH 6.0 than it was at physiological pH. These results should be taken into account when dealing with similar antigens that have been frequently studied in immunology, such as poly (Glu60 Ala40) and poly (Glu60 Ala30 Tyr10). The non-immunoglobulin serum component has been identified as Gc globulin, a vitamin D-binding protein that has been shown to be present on the surface of B lymphocytes. This binding might be responsible for the murine B cell mitogenicity of poly (Tyr-Glu-Ala-Gly) that has been previously reported.

Solution conformation of poly(L-lysyl-L-glutamic acid) and poly(L-lysyl-L-glutamine)

Solution conformation of poly(L-lysyl-L-glutamic acid) (PLGU) and poly(L-lysyl-L-glutamine) (PLGN) was studied in water as a function of pH, added salt, detergents, methanol and trifluoroethanol (TFE). Both the polypeptides exhibit no ordered conformation in the pH range 1.5-12.5; salts and detergents did not have any marked effect. Replacement of side chain carboxyl by an amide group did not help in inducing PLGN to adopt a helical conformation even at pH as high as 12.0, unlike poly(L-lysine). The helicogenic solvents, methanol and TFE, induce formation of weak helices in PLGU as well as in PLGN. It is not unlikely that H-bonding between the side chains leads to stabilizing an unordered conformations.

Immunogenicity of four sequential polypeptides in inbred guinea-pigs and their recognition at the T lymphocyte and antibody levels

Four sequential polypeptides containing equimolar amounts of tyrosine, glutamic acid, alanine and glycine were shown to be T lymphocyte-dependent immunogens in inbred guinea-pigs. Poly (Glu-Ala-Tyr-Gly) was immunogenic only in strain 2 guinea-pigs; poly (Glu-Tyr-Ala-Gly) and poly (Ala-Tyr-Glu-Gly) were immunogenic only in strain 13 guinea-pigs; and poly (Ala-Glu-Tyr-Gly) was immunogenic in both inbred strains. The specificity of immune recognition was probed at the T lymphocyte and humoral levels with the heterologous polypeptides. Only a few cases of heterologous cross-stimulation or cross-reaction were observed, indicating the great selectivity of immune recognition. The results showed considerable variability in immune recognition from animal to animal. Nevertheless, at the T-cell level, cross-stimulation appears to necessitate that the antigen is itself immunogenic in that strain, whereas at the antibody level, cross-reaction is not similarly restricted. The structural basis for mutual recognition of immunogen and antigen at these levels is discussed.

Immune responses of inbred guinea pigs and mice to helical sequential polymers of amino acids

The immune responses against the sequential polypeptides; (T-G-A-Gly)n, (T-A-G-Gly)n, (Phe-G-A-Gly)n and (Phe-A-G-Gly)n were studied in inbred guinea pigs and mice. Strain 13 guinea pigs responded to (Phe-G-A-Gly)n and (T-G-A-Gly)n whereas strain 2 guinea pigs responded to (T-A-G-GLY)n and (Phe-A-G-Gly)n. These responses which are linked to MHC, are only against the helical form of the polymers which have conformational determinants. Significant cross reactions at the humoral and T cell levels (PELS) are exhibited with the following reciprocal combinations: (Phe-G-A-Gly)n and (T-G-A-Gly)n; (T-A-G-Gly)n and (Phe-A-G-Gly)n. With mice, the polymers were shown to be T dependent with the following response patterns: mice of H-2b haplotype respond against (T-G-A-Gly)n; those of H-2b, f and r haplotypes respond against (T-A-G-Gly)n. There are no responders against (Phe-G-A-Gly)n and only mice of H-2f respond against (Phe-A-G-Gly)n. "Nonresponders" respond against the MBSA aggregates of all of these polymers. The Ir gene(s) controlling these T cell dependent H-linked responses mapped to the IA subregion. Antibody responses against (T-G-A-Gly) and (T-A-G-Gly) were quite variable, and were most marked in, F1 mice of (responder and nonresponder) and in backcross populations of (F1 x R) and (F1 x NR). However, the T cell proliferative responses performed with nylon wool purified T cells gave clear cut and predictable distinctions between "responders" and nonresponders and linkage with responding haplotype. Hypotheses advanced to explain these findings relate to the poor immunogenicity (antibody) of these polymers, which have a restricted number of repeating determinants, the B cell mitogenic properties of these polymers and the possible involvement of suppressor cells. The specificities of the humoral responses, i.e. cross reactions, were similar to those found in guinea pigs. However, in contrast to the guinea pig studies cross stimulation with structurally related polymers occurred only in those situations where the immunizing and "crossreacting" polymers were both immunogenic in mice of the same haplotype, i.e., (T-A-G-Gly)n and (Phe-A-G-Gly)n in mice of H-2f haplotypes.