Original scientific paper

Random Coil Behaviour of Proteins in Concentrated Urea Solutions

S. Lapanje ; Department of Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia

Abstract

Measurements have been made of the intrinsic viscosities and
osmotic pressures of protein polypeptide chains in concentrated
urea solutions, in the presence of- ~-mercaptoethanol. The results
show that both properties depend on molecular weight exactly
as predicted for randomly coiled linear polymer chains. It can
therefore be assumed that protein polypeptide chains, in the
solvent medium employed, are random coils, r etaining practically
no elements of their native conformation. In addition, from the
osmotic pressure data, second virial coefficients have been calculated.
By combining the intr insic . viscosities and second viri.al
coefficients the unperturbed dimensions of protein polypeptide
chains have been obtained. Their values , are in good agreement
with those determined from the viscosity data alone.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

207946

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/207946

Publication date:

1.10.1969.

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