Polymerization of amino acid under liposomal environment

N-Carboxy anhydrides of amino acid derivatives with hydrophobic side chains, N-carboxy anhydrides of gamma-dodecyl L-glutamate and gamma-benzyl D-glutamate, were polymerized in bilayer membrane of large unilamellar liposomes prepared by the injection method. Infrared spectra indicated that polypeptides isolated from the liposomes existed in two different conformational forms, namely the alpha-helix and the beta form. Studying osmotic shrinkage of liposomes, it was found that liposomal membrane was highly permeable to glucose in the presence of polypeptides in the membrane.