Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Preparation of an Insulin A Chain Derivative with an Intact Intra-chain Disulphide Bond

Nature volume 199, pages 1095–1096 (1963)Cite this article

Abstract

THE insulin molecule contains three disulphide bonds according to Sanger's structure formula1. Two of these connect the peptide chains; the third forms an intra-chain linkage between residues 6 and 11 on the A chain. Various authors have shown that there are differences in the reactivities of the three disulphide bonds2. However, in the presence of concentrated solutions of urea or guanidine hydrochloride complete cleavage is observed as well by oxidative sulphitiolytic as by reductive procedures with thioglycolate or 2-mercaptoethanol3. The recombination of completely reduced insulin chains by re-oxidation with air gave only low yields in the experiments of several groups of investigators4–6, in accordance with theoretical statistical calculations made by Kauzmann7.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ryle, A. P., Sanger, F., Smith, L. F., and Kitai, R., Biochem. J., 60, 541 (1955).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. For details, see Cecil, R., and McPhee, J. R., Adv. Prot. Chem., 14, 351 (Academic Press, New York and London, 1959).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Thompson, E. O. P., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 53, 447 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Dixon, G. H., and Wardlaw, A. C., Nature, 188, 721 (1960).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Du, Y. C., Zhang, Y. S., Lu, Z. X., and Tsou, C. L., Scientia Sinica, 10, 84 (1961).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Bailey, J. L., and Cole, R. D., J. Biol. Chem., 234, 1733 (1959).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Kauzmann, W., Sulfur in Proteins, 93 (Academic Press, New York, 1959).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cecil, R., and Loening, U. E., Biochem. J., 76, 146 (1960). Cecil, R., and Wake, R. J., ibid., 82, 401 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Brdička, R., Coll. Czech. Chem. Comm., 5, 238 (1933).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technical High School, Aachen

    JOHANNES MEIENHOFER & OTTO BRINKHOF

Authors
  1. JOHANNES MEIENHOFER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. OTTO BRINKHOF
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

MEIENHOFER, J., BRINKHOF, O. Preparation of an Insulin A Chain Derivative with an Intact Intra-chain Disulphide Bond. Nature 199, 1095–1096 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/1991095a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1991095a0

This article is cited by

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.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing