THE SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF INSULIN AND ITS RELATION ΤΟ ACTIVITY

摘要: X-ray analysis provides us with the most complete picture of molecular structure that we have and it has played a fundamental role in our present understanding of enzyme structure and their mechanisms. Structural studies are now being carried out on many other kinds of proteins such as haemoglobins, electron transport proteins and enzyme inhibitors. For a complete account of X-ray structural studies on proteins and biological molecules the reader should see Vol 36, Symposia on Quantitative Biology (1972). Insulin however is the only polypeptide hormone whose three-dimensional structure has been obtained by crystal This analysis, which is being extended to greater detail, has allowed us to understand the molecule's aggregation and gives us considerable insight into its chemistry and evolution. These chemical and physical properties themselves when considered together indicate that there are regions in the molecule which are important in the expression of its biological effects.