Enzymatic hydrolysis of water‐soluble random copolypeptides

Abstract

Abstract Two component water‐soluble random copolypeptides consisting of N‐ hydroxyethyl L‐glutamine and hydrophobic L‐amino acids such as L‐alanine, L‐leucine, L‐phenylalanine, or L‐valine, were prepared by carrying out aminolysis reactions with 2‐amino‐1‐ethanol (E) on starting copolymers consisting of γ‐benzyl L‐glutamate (B) and the corresponding hydrophobic L‐amino acid. The effects of copolymer composition and sequential distributions, as well as molecular conformations, on the rate of degradation by bromelain in a PECF at pH 7.4 and 37.0°C to simulate in vivo polymer degradation. All the samples were found to be extensively degraded by random chain fracture with bromelain. Further, the degradation data for these samples followed the Michaelis‐Menten rate law, being of the first order in papain concentration. The nature of side chains and the molecular conformations are important to the rate of degradation by bromelain.