Polypeptides, photoresponsive

Higuchi et al.1821 have prepared an interesting photoresponsive polypeptide consisting of two a-helical chains of poly(L-glutamate) of Mw= 11,000, linked by an azobenzene moiety (Scheme 12, XXI). Monolayers of the polypeptide were formed at... 

Typical photoresponsive polypeptides exhibiting a helix-helix transition upon photoirradiation are shown in Fig. 1. These polypeptides are composed of l-aspartates as the amino acid component. The poly(l-aspartic acid esters) are the most thoroughly investigated polypeptides with respect to their ordered structures... 

Figure 2 Graft polymer containing a photoresponsive polypeptide.

Figure 3 Photoresponsive polypeptides showing a reversible conformational change.

Fissi A, Pieroni O, Balestreri E, Amato C. 1996. Photoresponsive polypeptides. Photomodu lation of the macromolecular structure in poly(N((phenylazophenyl)sulfonyl) l lysine). Macromolecules 29(13) 4680 4685. 

The >20 natural amino acids and their synthetic derivatives constitute an abundant monomer source for the construction of multifunctional polypeptides. Like the micelles, liposomes, and hydrogels described above, photoresponsive polypeptides can be successfully constructed by introducing some photoresponsive moieties such as coumarin, 2-nitrobenzyl, cinnamyl, and... 

Fissi, A., Pieroni, O., Ciardelli, F., Fabbri, D., Ruggeri, G., and Umezawa, K. (1993) Photoresponsive polypeptides photochromism and conformation of poly(L-glutamic acid) containing spiropyran units. Biopolymers, 33,1505-1517. 

N., and Lenci, F. (1999) Photoresponsive polypeptides, photochromic and conformational behavior of spiropyran-containing poly(l-glutamate)s under acid conditions. Macromolecules, 32, 7116—7121. 

Aoyama, M., Watanabe, J., and Inoue, S. (1990a) Photoregulation of permeability across a membrane from a graft copolymer containing a photoresponsive polypeptide branch. Journal of American Chemical Society, 112,5542-5545. 

Fissi, A., Pieroni, O., Balestreri, E., and Amato, C., Photoresponsive polypeptides. Photomodulation of the macromolecular structure in poly(N ((phenylazophenyl)sulfonyl)-L-lysine)., Macromolecules, 29, 4680, 1996. 

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