Use of conductimetry for the monitoring of thermodynamically-controlled enzymatic peptide synthesis

A conductimetric method was developed for the monitoring of thermodynamically-controlled enzyme peptide synthesis. It was applied to the synthesis of Nα-benzyloxycarbonylalanylphenylalaninamide, in the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase. A linear continuous decrease of conductance could be demonstrated in the first minutes of the reaction, allowing a precise measurement of the initial rate of synthesis. Using independent calibration graphs, the conductimetric method correlated well with liquid chromatography, the most often applied technique for enzymatic peptide synthesis monitoring. Conductimetry may therefore be considered as a promising technique for quantitative measurements of such reactions.