This paper reports the investigation of the photochromic and conformational behaviour of a poly (L-glutamic acid) (PSG) chemically modified with 85% spiropyran units in the side chains, PSG. We preliminary studied the behaviour of PSG in solution and then we performed a characterisation of the polymer in bidimensional systems. PSG monolayer at the water-air interface was characterised by means of surface pressure-molecular area isotherms and UV-Vis Spectroscopy and the photochromic behaviour was illustrated. Moreover, we transferred, by means of the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, polypeptide monolayers onto solid support in order to obtain ordered and nano-organized systems whose spectroscopic properties were investigated. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.