The conformation of eye-lens proteins studied by means of optical rotatory dispersion

Abstract

• 1.

  1. The conformation in solution of eye-lens proteins obtained from cortical extracts of adult bovine lenses, was studied by means of the optical rotatory dispersion method.

• 2.

  2. The rotatory data were analysed according to the modified two-term Drude equation, the Moffitt-Yang equation and the one-term Drude equation.

• 3.

  3. The lens proteins appeared to consist of a mixture of α-helix, random coil and some other structure, which disappeared upon denaturation by acid, alkali or 8 M urea, and also in 2-chloroethanol.

• 4.

  4. From a comparison with other proteins it seems probable that this other structure has a β conformation.