title: Solvent specified conformation in poly(alpha-L-glutamic acid) thin films.
abstract: The ability to control conformational properties of polypeptides in their films is of considerable interest for many possible applications of these materials. By rational choice of the solvent system for film fabrication, control over the conformation of the main chain, the intermolecular hydrogen bonding in the side chain is easily achieved in poly(alpha-L-glutamic acid) (PLGA) thin films. The spectral data from circular dichromism (CD), FT-IR, and solid state (13)C NMR spectroscopies suggest that the beta-sheet conformation is dominant in PLGA films cast from trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) solution, whereas the right-handed alpha-helix is dominant in those cast from pyridine or DMF solution. In comparison with films cast from TFA solutions, the films fabricated from pyridine or DMF solutions exhibit strong intermolecular hydrogen bondings between -COOH groups and have a more ordered arrangement of side chains. Moreover, the extent of alpha-helix conformation of the PLGA backbone in films cast from pyridine or DMF solution is several times higher than that observed in the PLGA powder precipitated from aqueous solution at pH 4. All spectroscopic studies indicate clearly that the solvents (used for casting these films) play a crucial role in directing the organization of PLGA in these thin films.
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Materials, Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Suizhou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Njus
authors.forename: Ramaswamy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagarajan
authors.forename: Ashok L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cholli
authors.forename: Lynne A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Samuelson
authors.forename: Jayant
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D002942:Circular Dichroism / Q000379:methods; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; D011099:Polyglutamic Acid