Abstract
CONSIDERABLE discussion of the structure of proteins, especially in relation to the cyclol hypothesis, has recently appeared in NATURE1,2,3. This theory assumes that globular proteins consist of a spaceenclosing arrangement of diazine and triazine rings. Most of the evidence produced (including the X-ray diagrams2,3) is, however, not specific for the cyclol theory; many of the points made by Langmuir4 could be equally well used as an argument in favour of any regular geometrical structure which joins peptide chains to form a globular molecule. It is indeed possible to suggest bonds between peptide chains of types already known to exist; thus we are familiar with compounds containing the linkages S—S; CO—S, NH—S or CO—NH—CO, all of which might occur in proteins; in addition, the possibility exists of linkages between hydroxyl groups of hydroxy-amino acids and free carboxyl groups.
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References
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NEUBERGER, A. Chemical Aspects of the Cyclol Hypothesis. Nature 143, 473 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/143473a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/143473a0
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