Inhibition of lysozyme's polymerization activity using a polymer structural mimic

Abstract

Hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) is a green catalyst capable of polymerizing 2-ethynylpyridine. 1,3-di(2-pyridyl)propane (DPP) is a mimic of the polymer repeating unit, and its interaction with HEWL reveals structural insight into the mechanism of polymerization. These interactions were probed using NMR methods, including diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) and saturation transfer difference (STD) measurements, and the structure of HEWL with DPP in the active site was elucidated by X-ray methods.