Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1980, 45, 933-940
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19800933

Investigation of drug-protein interactions and the drug-carrier concept by the use of branched polypeptides as model systems. Synthesis and characterization of the model peptides

Ferenc Hudecz and Mária Szekerke

Research Group for Peptide Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary

Abstract

Synthesis of branched polypeptides with a new design of variations in surface topography is described. The side chains of the poly(Lys-(DL-Alam)) were elongated by single amino acids (L-Tyr, L-Glu, L-His, L-Leu, L-Pro, L-Phe) or short polymers (L-, D-Glu, L-Tyr, L-, D-, DL-Lys). Single amino acids were coupled, via the azide, active ester or N-carboxy anhydride method, oligomers were grafted by the polymerisation of N-carboxy anhydride derivatives. The resulting polypeptides were characterised by amino acid analysis, identification of the N-terminal residue of the chain ends, determination of the sedimentation coefficient and molecular weight estimation, based on sedimentation experiments and thin layer gel chromatography.