European Journal of BiochemistryVolume 26, Issue 2 p. 301-304 Free Access Abbreviated Nomenclature of Synthetic Polypeptides (Polymerized Amino Acids)* Revised Recommendations (1971)† First published: March 1972 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1432-1033.1972.tb01768.xCitations: 2 † Document of the IUPAC-IUB Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature (CBN), originally approved and published by IUPAC and IUB in October 1967 (1), and again, in the present revised form, in 1971, approved and published by permission of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and the International Union of Biochemistry. ‡ Comments on these Recommendations may be sent to any member of CBN: O. Hoffmann-Ostenhof (Chairman), W. E. Cohn (Secretary), A. E. Braunstein, P. Karlson, B. Keil, W. Klyne, C. Liébecq, E. C. Slater, E. C. Webb, W. J. Whelan. § Reprints of these Recommendations may be obtained from Waldo E. Cohn, Director, NAS-NRC Office of Biochemical Nomenclature, Biology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P. O. Box Y, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 37830, U.S.A. ¶ †This revision differs from the original (1) essentially in the addition of comments after Recommendation 1 (marked with ▴ in the margin) and in the relevant “Examples.” These revisions were made to conform with the practices in polymer chemistry and were recommended to CBN by the IUPAC Commission on Macromolecular Nomenclature (IUPAC Information Bulletin, Appendices on Nomenclature, etc., No. 13, February 1971) and the Nomenclature Committee of the Division of Polymer Chemistry of the American Chemical Society (see Macromolecules, 1, 193, 1968). Minor revisions are indicated by ▵ other symbols (e.g. subscripts or superscripts) separate symbols in unknown sequences. Vertical strokes indicate covalent bonds involving functional groups or the remaining H-atom of the peptide bond, depending upon their placement (5). L-Amino acids and α-peptide links, read from left (NH2 terminus) to right (COOH terminus), are assumed unless indicated otherwise (4, 5). AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Abstract The numerous studies on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of synthetic polypeptides have brought with them different ways of describing, in abbreviated form, these products whose structures are often incompletely known. The use of a variety of nomenclatures complicates the literature; hence, a consistent and clearly defined system for naming such polypeptides is desirable. The proposals set forth here, which represent the consensus of many discussions and suggestions, should aid in systematizing the nomenclature of a wide variety of synthetic polypeptides. These proposals are based in large part on the abbreviated nomenclature devised by Gill (2) and by Sela (3) and others. They utilize the symbols and conventions set forth in Section 2 of “Revised Tentative Rules for Abbreviations and Symbels of Chemical Names of Special Interest in Biological Chemistry” (4) and in “Abbreviated Designation of Amino Acid Derivatives and Peptides” (5), and they add only those terms or conventions needed for the specification of polymers but not encompassed by these schemes. The symbols and conventions of the previous “Tentative Rules” (4, 5) used in this nomenclature system are summarized as follows. The symbols of the amino acid residues and their derivatives or modifications are those indicated in the “Tentative Rules” (4, 5) or formulated according to the principles set out in them. Hyphens or commas between the symbols for residues or groups of residues indicate known or unknown sequence, respectively, and involve only the α-NH2 and α-COOH groups (the peptide link). Commas may be omitted when other symbols (e.g. subscripts or superscripts) separate symbols in unknown sequences. Vertical strokes indicate covalent bonds involving functional groups or the remaining H-atom of the peptide bond, depending upon their placement (5). L-Amino acids and α-peptide links, read from left (NH2 terminus) to right (COOH terminus), are assumed unless indicated otherwise (4, 5). Citing Literature Volume26, Issue2March 1972Pages 301-304 ReferencesRelatedInformation