Abstract
IN a recent communication from this laboratory1 it was reported that the constant b0 in Moffitt's equation2 for the optical rotation of a helical polypeptide is positive for solutions of poly-L-tryosine in dimethyl formamide and in pyridine, and for the sodium salt of this polymer in solution and in films. It was implied that in spite of the unusual sign of b0 the polymer was in the α-helical form, and that the positive value is a consequence of the strong chromophoric group near the β carbon atom. We have since made further measurements of the optical rotation of a solution of this polymer in N sodium hydroxide and of films cast from a solution in dimethyl formamide at 60° C., together with observations of the infra-red spectrum and X-ray diffraction pattern of the films. These studies have led us to the conclusion that it is more probable that in dilute solutions in pyridine, in dimethyl formamide, and in aqueous alkali, poly-L-tyrosine is in the random coil configuration, as is its sodium salt in films.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Elliott, A., Hanby, W. E., and Malcolm, B. R., Nature, 180, 1340 (1957).
Moffitt, W., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 42, 736 (1956). Moffitt, W., and Yang, J. T., ibid., 42, 596 (1956).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
DOWNIE, A., ELLIOTT, A. & HANBY, W. Optical Rotation and Configuration of Poly-L-tyrosine. Nature 183, 110 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/183110a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/183110a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.