Abstract
Proteins have integral numbers of each of the 20 amino acids. However, all the currently accepted methods of determining this number measure the ratio of moles of amino acid residue per mole of protein. This value is rarely close to an integer, due to experimental errors in determination of the molar amounts of both amino acid residues and polypeptide chain1–3. A simple method which gives integral values of amino acid residues per polypeptide chain, independent of any other properties of the protein, would be useful in characterising proteins. We describe here one method; it is illustrated for the case of Cys residues, although the approach should be useful for many of the other 19 usual amino acids.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Light, A. & Smith, E. L. in The Proteins Vol. 1, 2nd edn (ed Neurath, H) 1–44 (Academic, New York, 1963).
Schroeder, W. A. The Primary Structure of Proteins (Harper and Row, New York, 1968).
Konigsberg, W. H. & Steinman, H. M. in The Proteins Vol III, 3rd edn (eds Neurath, H. & Hill, R. L.) 1–178 (Academic, New York, 1977).
Kassell, B. & Laskowski, M. Sr Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 20, 463–468 (1965).
Anderer, R. A. & Hornle, S. J. biol. Chem. 241, 1568–1572 (1966).
Huber, R., Kukla, D., Ruhlmann, A., Epp, O. & Formanek, H. Naturwissenschaften 57, 389–392 (1970).
Creighton, T. E. J. molec. Biol. 87, 579–602 (1974).
Webb, J. L. Enzyme and Metabolic Inhibitors Vol III (Academic, New York, 1966).
Kress, L. F. & Laskowski, M., Sr. J. biol. Chem. 242, 4925–4929 (1967).
Meloun, B., Fric, I. & Sorm, F. Colln Czech. chem. Commun. 33, 2299–2306 (1968).
Liu, W. & Meienhofer, J. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 31, 467–473 (1968).
Smyth, D. G., Stein, W. H. & Moore, S. J. biol. Chem. 238, 227–234 (1963).
Canfield, R. & Liu, A. K. J. biol. Chem. 240, 1997–2002 (1965).
Ambler, R. P. Biochem. J. 151, 197–218 (1975).
Raftery, M. A. & Cole, R. D. J. biol. Chem. 241, 3457–3461 (1966).
Creighton, T. E. J. molec. Biol. 96, 777–782 (1975).
Reisfield, R. A., Lewis, U. J. & Williams, D. E. Nature 195, 281–283 (1962).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Creighton, T. Counting integral numbers of amino acid residues per polypeptide chain. Nature 284, 487–489 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/284487a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/284487a0
This article is cited by
-
Probing protein folding and stability using disulfide bonds
Molecular Biotechnology (1997)
-
Protection and enhancement of ribulose 1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase activity by exogenous proteins
Journal of Protein Chemistry (1991)
-
Identification and immunohistochemical localization of various bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor-isoforms in bovine pituitary gland
The Histochemical Journal (1989)
-
The positive effects of the high molecular weight subunits 3+10 and 2* of glutenin on the bread-making quality of wheat cultivars
Euphytica (1983)
-
Counting integral numbers of amino acid residues
Nature (1980)
