Antigenicity of some new synthetic polypeptides and polypeptidyl gelatins

Abstract

Several peptidyl derivatives of gelatin and of multichain poly-DL-alanine have been synthesized and characterized. The peptides attached were those of L-methionine as well as copolypeptides of L-glutamic acid and L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-leucine or L-lysine. The attachment of peptides of methionine, of leucine and glutamic acid, and of lysine and glutamic acid to gelatin resulted in enhancement of antigenicity, whereas the attachment of copolypeptides of glutamic acid and phenyl-alanine, histidine, leucine or lysine to multichain polyalanine converted it into immunogens. The attachment of peptides of methionine to multichain polyalanine did not affect its lack of antigenicity. The antigens investigated contain determinants of well-defined immune specificity.