Changes in the c.d. spectra of calf thymus DNA induced by sequential polypeptides in aqueous solutions. Part I

Interactions of calf thymus DNA with sequential polypeptides were studied using c.d. spectroscopy in aqueous solutions. It was found that DNA structural alterations induced by sequential polypeptides (L-Arg-X-Gly)n (where X = L-Val, Leu, Ile, Nva, Nle) are modulated by the nature of the X residue. Thus, the polypeptide (L-Arg-L-Nva-Gly)n induced the 10.2B-DNA form, whereas the polypeptides (L-Arg-L-Ile-Gly)n having one methyl group less on the X residue side chain, did not provide any significant modification to the structure of DNA. The effect of ionic strength from 0.14 M NaCl (physiological value) to zero was also analysed on the basis of the observed c.d. changes and the degree of complexation in the DNA-polypeptides was estimated.