Abstract
RECENTLY we have isolated products of hydroxylation from dilute aqueous solutions of benzene and benzoic acid irradiated with ionizing radiations (X-rays, γ-rays, neutrons)1. The formation of phenolic compounds in these experiments furnished experimental evidence in support of the theory put forward by one of us2 in 1944, according to which the primary action of ionizing radiations results in the splitting of the water molecules according to,presumably through the ions H2O+ and H2O−. These reaction products are similar to those obtained from the same substances by the action of OH-radicals produced chemically (for example, by the hydrogen peroxide – ferrous salt system), or in the biological oxidation of these substances3. We have now found that irradiation by X-rays of dilute aqueous solutions of certain simple amino-acids results in an (oxidative) deamination yielding ammonia, and the corresponding aldehydes similar to those obtained from the same substances in vitro by the action of OH-radicals produced chemically4.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Stein and Weiss, Nature, 161, 650 (1948).
Weiss, Nature, 153, 748 (1944); 157, 584 (1946); Trans. Farad. Soc., 43, 314 (1947).
For example, Baernstein, J. Biol. Chem., 161, 685 (1945).
a, Dakin, J. Biol. Chem., 1, 171 (1906); 4, 63 (1908). b, Neuberg, Biochem. Z., 20, 531 (1909).
Cf. Krebs, Biochem. J., 29, 1620 (1935).
Kollatz and Neuberg, Biochem. Z., 255, 27 (1932).
Wirth and Nord, Arch. Biochem., 2, 463 (1943). Sprinson and Chargaff, J. Biol. Chem., 164, 411 (1946).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
STEIN, G., WEISS, J. Deamination of Amino-Acids by X-Rays. Nature 162, 184 (1948). https://doi.org/10.1038/162184a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/162184a0
This article is cited by
-
�ber die Wirkung von R�ntgenstrahlen auf Methionin
Biophysik (1966)
-
Radiochemical Degradation of Dl-Methionine
Nature (1957)
-
Formation of Hydroxylamine from Amino-Compounds in Aqueous Solution by Irradiation with X-Rays
Nature (1951)
-
Action of X-Rays on Nucleic Acids
Nature (1949)
-
Relationship Between Structure of Nitrogenous Compounds and their Sensitivity to X-Rays
Nature (1949)
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.