9510031 Tirrell This project will develop methods for the preparation of architecturally well-defined artificial proteins carrying reactive olefinic, dienyl, acetylenic and pyrrolyl functional groups. A key aspect of the project is the use of artificial genes to direct the synthesis of uniform polymer chains, which will acquire reactive functionality either directly (through the incorporation of unnatural amino acids), or indirectly (through post-translational modification reactions). In either approach, the fidelity of bacterial protein synthesis will be exploited to produce polymeric materials characterized by precise control of chain length, sequence, and stereochemistry. The direct approach will explore the translational activity of six artificial amino acids (and several variants thereof) related to isoleucine, phenylalanine, histidine or tyrosine. There is increasing evidence that the bacterial protein synthesis machinery can utilize a braoder range of amino acids than the twenty that are normally encoded by messenger RNA templates. The amino acid analogues chosen for this study are of particular interest owing to two facts: i). none of the natural amino acids carries olefinic, dienyl, acetylenic or pyrrolyl groups, and ii). such functional groups can be used to endow polymeric materials with interesting and potentially useful chemical and electrochemical properties. The approach to be used for direct incorporation involves: i). synthesis of an artificial gene encoding the sequence of interest, with the natural analogue encoded in place of the target unnatural amino acid, ii). cloning of the artificial gene in an appropriate auxotrophic bacterial strain, and iii). induction of target protein synthesis in a medium containing the unnatural amino acid (and generally depleted of the natural analogue). This strategy has been demonstrated successfully with several unnatural amino acids, including selenomethionine, p-fluorophenylalanine, 3- thienylalanine, trifluoroleucine, azetidinecarboxylic acid, dehydroproline, and thiaproline. Complementary strategy involving post-translational modification will also be explored. In this approach, protein biosynthesis will be used to prepare appropriately designed "base polymers," which will be modified with reagents carrying olefinic, dienyl, acetylenic or pyrrolyl groups. Polymers prepared by either route will be subjected to careful analyses of molecular structure, supramolecular organization, and functional properties. Particular attention will be given to the prospects for creating electrochemically switchable protein films containing pyrrolyl side chains. Such films would be of potential practical use as components of sensors, actuators and controlled delivery devices. %%% This research aims to carry out the synthesis of amino acid polymers with highly controlled structures, through the use of artificial genes. The polymers selected do not occur in nature and will be designed to have interesting electrical and other properties. ***
