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:

Nature of Myosin

Abstract

WE have been led to regard myosin as a rather involved system of substances, in spite of the fact that it readily crystallizes and behaves as a homogeneous substance on recrystallization. It consists of a skeleton to which are adsorbed a number of protein like substances. The skeleton, and also the adsorbed proteins, are, in themselves, inactive, their system being only capable of enzymic reactions and of contraction. The adsorbed substances all seem to belong to the same remarkable group of substances, characterized, in impure condition, by their stability in 0.1 n hydrochloric acid at 100° (15 min.). They can be treated with n hydrochloric acid or precipitated by trichloro-acetic acid without loss. These substances will be called 'protins', to distinguish them from other proteins. H. M. Kalckar was the first to describe, in muscle, an acid- and heat-stable protein, his 'myokinase'.

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

Access options

Buy this article

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

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BANGA, I., GUBA, F. & SZENT-GYÖRGYI, A. Nature of Myosin. Nature 159, 194 (1947). https://doi.org/10.1038/159194a0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/159194a0

This article is cited by

  • Muskelelastizität

    • H. Reichel

    Ergebnisse der Physiologie Biologischen Chemie und Experimentellen Pharmakologie (1952)

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

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