Open AccessStructure of Helix pomatia Oxy‐β‐hemocyanin and Deoxy‐β‐hemocyanin Tubular Polymers
Author(s) -
BREEMEN Jan F. L.,
PLOEGMAN Jan H.,
BRUGGEN Ernst F. J.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1979.tb02033.x
Subject(s) - helix pomatia , hemocyanin , deoxygenation , helix (gastropod) , polymer , crystallography , electron micrographs , chemistry , electron microscope , biology , optics , gastropoda , physics , biochemistry , snail , catalysis , ecology , genetics , organic chemistry , antigen
Mild trypsinolysis of Helix pomatia β‐hemocyanin leads to the formation of tubular polymers after removal of the collar part [van Breemen, J. F. L., Wichertjes, T., Muller, M. F. J., van Driel, R., and van Bruggen, E. F. J. (1975) Eur. J. Biochem. 60 , 129–1351]. Three‐dimensional image reconstruction from electron micrographs of negatively stained tubular polymers showed: (a) alternating deep and shallow grooves in between the 10 helical chains, (b) the presence and position of two domains within each morphological wall‐unit of the Mellema and Klug model [Mellema, J. E. and Klug, A. (1972) Nature (Lond.) 239 , 146–150]. Optical diffraction of oxy and deoxygenated tubular polymers indicate a significant decrease in diameter with a concomitant increase in length upon deoxygenation.