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Conformational Transition of Acidic Peptides Exposed to Minerals in Suspension
Author(s) -
Bertrand Marylène,
Brack André
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3765(20000915)6:18<3452::aid-chem3452>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - chemistry , random coil , adsorption , crystallography , molybdenum , conformational change , stereochemistry , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , circular dichroism
Mineral surfaces probably participated in the chemical processes which led to life in the primitive oceans. The ordered conformations of simple acidic peptides exposed to insoluble minerals are described. Alternating poly(Glu−Leu) adopts a random coil conformation in water due to charge repulsion. The polypeptide extracts cations from insoluble crystalline CdS or molybdenum and adopts an ordered conformation. CdS leads to the formation of β ‐sheets whereas molybdenum leads to α ‐helices. Peptides with at least 10‐amino acids are necessary to exhibit a significative adsorption onto the surface. Under the same conditions, montmorillonite adsorbs the polypeptide but does not induce any conformational change.