Multiple conformations in polyampholytes

We study the configurational statistics of a ring polyampholyte chain made of N randomly charged monomers with elementary charge +/-q(o). To a large extent, the overall structure of a polyampholyte is controlled by a total sum Q of all charges. When the total charge is smaller than Q(1) approximate to root Nq(o), the polyampholyte has a compact globular structure. At charges larger than Q(2)(N Nq(o)), the configuration has the form of a ring of small globules (beads) connected by strings. Between Q(1) and Q(2) we find a remarkable diversity of meta-stable configurations having the shapes of irregular clusters of small globules connected by the strings. We estimate the number of these configurations and the energy barriers between them. Between Q(1) and Q(2), the minimum energy configurations are completely controlled by randomness ill the charge distribution along the chain. There are hysteresis effects in the shapes of the clusters. As the total charge increases: the linearly extended configurations become dynamically more preferable. When the charge decreases, the circular shapes are preferred. We remark on the probable connection with the multiple phase transitions observed in polyampholyte gels.