Biomaterial Database

IR spectra of lens crystallins. 1991

J Rózyczka, and A Gutsze

Department of Biophysics, Medical Academy of Bydgoszcz, Poland.

The IR technique has been applied to investigate secondary structure of the crystallins from the normal bovine eye. Crystallins have been isolated by column chromatography. IR spectra were recorded for the solid phase of proteins. From these spectra, especially amide I, amide II and amide V bands, the presence of alpha-helix, beta-sheet, beta-chain and unordered structures is stated. It was elucidated that alpha-crystallins are present mainly in a beta-sheet conformation but they also contain a considerable quantity of alpha-helix and a slight quantity of unordered and beta-chain forms. In beta H-crystallins, alpha-helix and, in a lesser percentage, beta-structures predominante. beta-sheet, alpha-helix and a low content of beta-chain forms are present in beta L-crystallins. In gamma-crystallins all forms secondary structure have been found, with predominance of beta-sheet and alpha-helix forms. A satisfactory agreement has been noticed between the forms of secondary structures in crystallins investigated by the IR technique and the results obtained by means of other methods. In conclusion IR spectroscopy has been suggested to be applied to observe crystallin structure during formation and development of a cataract.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007908	Lens, Crystalline	A transparent, biconvex structure of the EYE, enclosed in a capsule and situated behind the IRIS and in front of the vitreous humor (VITREOUS BODY). It is slightly overlapped at its margin by the ciliary processes. Adaptation by the CILIARY BODY is crucial for OCULAR ACCOMMODATION.	Eye Lens,Lens, Eye,Crystalline Lens
D011487	Protein Conformation	The characteristic 3-dimensional shape of a protein, including the secondary, supersecondary (motifs), tertiary (domains) and quaternary structure of the peptide chain. PROTEIN STRUCTURE, QUATERNARY describes the conformation assumed by multimeric proteins (aggregates of more than one polypeptide chain).	Conformation, Protein,Conformations, Protein,Protein Conformations
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D003459	Crystallins	A heterogeneous family of water-soluble structural proteins found in cells of the vertebrate lens. The presence of these proteins accounts for the transparency of the lens. The family is composed of four major groups, alpha, beta, gamma, and delta, and several minor groups, which are classed on the basis of size, charge, immunological properties, and vertebrate source. Alpha, beta, and delta crystallins occur in avian and reptilian lenses, while alpha, beta, and gamma crystallins occur in all other lenses.	Lens Proteins,Crystallin,Eye Lens Protein,Lens Protein, Eye,Protein, Eye Lens,Proteins, Lens
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013055	Spectrophotometry, Infrared	Spectrophotometry in the infrared region, usually for the purpose of chemical analysis through measurement of absorption spectra associated with rotational and vibrational energy levels of molecules. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	IR Spectra,Infrared Spectrophotometry,IR Spectras,Spectra, IR