Abstract
The conformation of the valinomycin–lithium complex has been studied using CD and nmr techniques. The lithium ion induced significant changes in the chemical shifts of the NH and C^α^H protons, as well as in the CD spectra of valinomycin. From the analysis of the lithium ion titration data, it is concluded that valinomycin forms a 1:1 type weak complex with lithium, having a stability constant of 48 L mol^−1^ at 25°C. This conformation is different from the familiar valinomycin–potassium complex. The nature of the interaction at low and high concentrations of lithium ions with valinomycin (ionophore) and gramicidin‐S (nonionophore) has been compared. At high salt concentrations, there was a further change in the CD and nmr spectra of valinomycin, giving a second plateau region at > 3__M__ of the salt. In the case of gramicidin‐S, no significant changes in the nmr or CD spectra were observed in the lower concentration range corresponding to where changes were observed in the case of valinomycin. However, the addition of lithium salt at concentrations greater than 3__M__ induced changes in both the CD and nmr spectra of gramicidin‐S, and the titration graph of molar ellipticity versus concentration of lithium perchlorate gave a plateau region at concentrations greater than this. These results indicate that the effects of lithium at low and high concentrations are independent of each other. The conformational transitions at very high salt concentrations (denaturation) are more likely due to solvent structural perturbations rather than to the consequences of ion binding.