Abstract
DURING the past twenty-five years, four samples of dried muscle have been made which show a striking X-ray diagram, with sharp diffraction maxima superimposed on the α-keratin pattern usually obtained from muscle. These samples of muscle were from the frog (sartorius muscle, Herzog and Jancke1), the mussel Mytilus edulis (Lotmar and Picken2; we have been informed by these authors that the muscle used was the anterior byssal retractor, rather than the posterior adductor, as stated in their paper), the scallop Pecten (adductor muscle, Bear and Cannan3), and the squid Loligo (funnel retractor muscle, Bear and Cannan3). Lotmar and Picken proposed a mono-clinic unit of structure, with a0= 11.70 A., b0= 5.65 A., c0= 9.85 A., β = 73.5°, and they suggested that the crystalline substance, assumed to be protein, contains nearly extended polypeptide chains, parallel to the β-axis (the fibre axis), with two of these chains (four amino-acid residues) per unit cell. We have also discussed the X-ray pattern, on the assumption that the crystalline substance is a protein, and have suggested that the structure of the protein is that of the 3.7-residue helix4.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Herzog, R. O., and Jancke, W., Naturwiss., 14, 1223 (1926).
Lotmar, W., and Picken, L. E. R., Helv. Chim. Acta, 25, 538 (1942).
Bear, R. S., and Cannan, C. M. N., Nature, 168, 684 (1951).
Pauling, L., and Corey, R. B., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 37, 261 (1951).
Bamford, C. H., and Hanby, W. E., Nature, 168, 1085 (1951).
Pauling, L., Corey, R. B., and Branson, H. R., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 37, 205 (1951).
Pauling, L., and Corey, R. B., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 37, 235 (1951).
Bamford, C. H., and Hanby, W. E., Nature, 169, 120 (1952).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
PAULING, L., COREY, R. The Lotmar–Picken X-Ray Diagram of Dried Muscle. Nature 169, 494–495 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1038/169494b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/169494b0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.