title: Catalysis of the oligomerization of O-phospho-serine, aspartic acid, or glutamic acid by cationic micelles.
abstract: Treatment of relatively concentrated aqueous solutions of O-phospho-serine (50 mM), aspartic acid (100 mM) or glutamic acid (100 mM) with carbonyldiimidazole leads to the formation of an activated intermediate that oligomerizes efficiently. When the concentration of amino acid is reduced tenfold, few long oligomers can be detected. Positively-charged cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide micelles concentrate the negatively-charged activated intermediates of the amino acids at their surfaces and catalyze efficient oligomerization even from dilute solutions.
authors.affiliation: The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, San Diego, CA 92186-5800, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bohler
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Orgel
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D008823:Micelles; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D010768:Phosphoserine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; D007093:Imidazoles; D008823:Micelles; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010768:Phosphoserine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C006900:N,N-carbonyldiimidazole; D000077286:Cetrimonium