Fundamental behavior of a model biomolecular amphiphile system

An interest in the fundamental interactions between protein components, in the form of either single amino acids or peptides, unifies the work represented in this thesis. These fundamental interactions drive protein folding, enzyme-substrate binding, and cell adhesion to extracellular ligands. The technology of lipidation was used to isolate these protein interactions. Lipidation of a water-soluble amino acid or peptide sequence confined the protein component to the air-water interface or to a self-assembled structure in water. Compression of the molecules at the air-water interface ordered them into a solid-like monolayer, and Langmuir-Blodgett deposition produced a surface modification with protein component presented in a controlled, orderly manner. These molecules have potential applications as biomaterials coatings or drug delivery devices. A method for determination of specific hydrogen bonding interactions through cocrystallization of two complementary peptide sequences is also described.;In order to understand the effect of lipidation and lipid structure on peptide behavior, a comprehensive study of tail designs was first undertaken. Tail length, linkage group, linker, spacer length, and headgroup chirality, orientation, and terminal group were systematically varied in simple amino acid amphiphiles. Monolayer assembly, thermal stability, and structure were studied with Langmuir isotherms and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Each part of the tail structure was found to affect monolayer behavior. With lipid effects better understood, peptide amphiphiles were designed, synthesized, and studied using peptide sequences of importance for cell adhesion. The sequences [IV-H1] from type IV collagen and Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) were lipidated and characterized in monolayers by Langmuir isotherms and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Biological functionality was determined by melanoma cell spreading assays. Peptide presentation was found to be critical for specific recognition of the peptide sequence by cells, and RGD was only specifically recognized when presented with both ends of the peptide coupled to dialkyl lipid tails.