The specific binding sites of Hofmeister ions with an uncharged 600-residue elastin-like polypeptide, (VPGVG)(120), were elucidated using a combination of NMR and thermodynamic measurements along with molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that the large soft anions such as SCN(-) and I(-) interact with the polypeptide backbone via a hybrid binding site that consists of the amide nitrogen and the adjacent α-carbon. The hydrocarbon groups at these sites bear a slight positive charge, which enhances anion binding without disrupting specific hydrogen bonds to water molecules. The hydrophobic side chains do not contribute significantly to anion binding or the corresponding salting-in behavior of the biopolymer. Cl(-) binds far more weakly to the amide nitrogen/α-carbon binding site, while SO(4)(2-) is repelled from both the backbone and hydrophobic side chains of the polypeptide. The Na(+) counterions are also repelled from the polypeptide. The identification of these molecular-level binding sites provides new insights into the mechanism of peptide-anion interactions.

Ion-specific effects on salting-in and salting-out of proteins, protein denaturation, as well as enzymatic activity are typically rationalized in terms of the Hofmeister series. Here, we demonstrate by means of NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations that the traditional explanation of the Hofmeister ordering of ions in terms of their bulk hydration properties is inadequate. Using triglycine as a model system, we show that the Hofmeister series for anions changes from a direct to a reversed series upon uncapping the N-terminus. Weakly hydrated anions, such as iodide and thiocyanate, interact with the peptide bond, while strongly hydrated anions like sulfate are repelled from it. In contrast, reversed order in interactions of anions is observed at the positively charged, uncapped N-terminus, and by analogy, this should also be the case at side chains of positively charged amino acids. These results demonstrate that the specific chemical and physical properties of peptides and proteins play a fundamental role in ion-specific effects. The present study thus provides a molecular rationalization of Hofmeister ordering for the anions. It also provides a route for tuning these interactions by titration or mutation of basic amino acid residues on the protein surface.

A series of fluorous silver complexes bearing two fluorous NHC ligands was synthesized from bis­(polyfluoroalkylated) or bis­(polyfluoropolyoxaalkylated) imidazolium salts and silver oxide in acetonitrile. The starting salts were prepared either under conventional conditions in two steps via polyfluoroalkylated imidazoles or preferably directly from imidazole and the respective polyfluoroalkyl triflates or polyfluoropolyoxaalkyl nonaflates bearing a nonfluorinated ethylene or methylene spacer. Surprisingly, striking differences in fluorophilicity were observed for both starting imidazolium salts and target Ag–NHC complexes depending on the type of polyfluorinated chains. While the complexes bearing a polyfluoroalkyl ponytail displayed moderate fluorophilicities f i in the range of 0.9–1.8, the presence of fluorinated polyether chains resulted in much higher fluorophilicity reaching for unbranched polyethers values as high as 3.2 with excellent solubility in perfluorinated solvents. For the explanation, DFT calculations on the model imidazolium salts showed that, in contrast to polyfluoroalkyl ponytails pointing out of the imidazolium rings, dominant conformation of the polyfluoropolyether chain is able to shield fluorophobic counteranions against the perfluorinated environment, minimizing thus fluorophobic interactions. We also employed DFT calculations for the confirmation of the higher flexibility of perfluoropolyether chains compared with perfluoroalkyl chains, scanning the energy content of two model compounds, perfluorohexane and perfluoro-3-oxahexane, on their C3–C4 or O–C3 torsion angle.

Electrospray ionization of aqueous solutions of magnesium(II) acetate leads to microhydrated magnesium acetate cations of the type [(CH(3)COO)(2m-1)Mg(m)(H(2)O)(n)](+) with m = 1-4 and n = 0-4, which are characterized by mass spectrometry and, for the cluster with three water molecules, also by infrared multiphoton dissociation spectroscopy. Density functional theory is used to determine the energies of microhydration for the mononuclear species [(CH(3)COO)Mg(H(2)O)(n)](+) with n = 0-6 and the associated changes in molecular structure. While bidentate coordination of the acetato ligand is generally preferred, at higher values of n, a switch to a monodentate coordination becomes energetically competitive.

Cationic specificity which follows the Hofmeister series has been established for the catalytic efficiency of haloalkane dehalogenase LinB by a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and enzyme kinetic experiments. Simulations provided a detailed molecular picture of cation interactions with negatively charged residues on the protein surface, particularly at the tunnel mouth leading to the enzyme active site. On the basis of the binding affinities, cations were ordered as Na(+) > K(+) > Rb(+) > Cs(+). In agreement with this result, a steady-state kinetic analysis disclosed that the smaller alkali cations influence formation and productivity of enzyme-substrate complexes more efficiently than the larger ones. A subsequent systematic investigation of two LinB mutants with engineered charge in the cation-binding site revealed that the observed cation affinities are enhanced by increasing the number of negatively charged residues at the tunnel mouth, and vice versa, reduced by decreasing this number. However, the cation-specific effects are overwhelmed by strong electrostatic interactions in the former case. Interestingly, the substrate inhibition of the mutant LinB L177D in the presence of chloride salts was 7 times lower than that of LinB wild type in glycine buffer. Our work provides new insight into the mechanisms of specific cation effects on enzyme activity and suggests a potential strategy for suppression of substrate inhibition by the combination of protein and medium engineering.