Skip to main content
PMC home page
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1967 Dec;105(3):1135–1145. doi: 10.1042/bj1051135

The macromolecular properties of blood-group substances. Sedimentation-velocity and viscosity measurements

J M Creeth 1, C G Knight 1,*
PMCID: PMC1198435  PMID: 16742540

Abstract

1. Sedimentation-velocity, intrinsic-viscosity and partial-specific-volume measurements on a typical blood-group-specific glycoprotein are reported for a range of environmental conditions. 2. The sedimentation coefficients, S, are strongly concentration-dependent, and follow the reciprocal law; the limiting values at 2°, 25° and 45°, after correction to 25°, show slight dependence on temperature. 3. The intrinsic viscosities, [η], at 25° and 45° show more marked temperature-dependence, and correspond to a very asymmetric or very expanded molecular conformation. 4. From the value of the ratio K/[η], where K=S0.d(1/S)/dc, it is concluded that the molecular conformation is roughly spherical; application of the Einstein viscosity equation then suggests an expansion factor of about 60, compatible with a flexible configuration approaching that of a random coil. 5. The sedimentation coefficient is not affected by variation of ionic strength in the range 0·01–0·50, nor by pH in the range 3–10. 6. Sodium dodecyl sulphate at 1·5% produces a small decrease in S; the effect is greater than would be expected from the observed extent of binding, but is too small to correspond to a significant change in secondary structure; the serological activity is unaffected by sodium dodecyl sulphate. 7. All the properties observed indicate the absence of any secondary structure in blood-group substances.

Full text

PDF
1140

Images in this article

1137Fig. 2.
on p.1137
1140Fig. 5.
on p.1140

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ADAMS J. B. STUDIES ON THE MUCIN DERIVED FROM HUMAN COLLOID BREAST CARCINOMA. Biochem J. 1965 Feb;94:368–377. doi: 10.1042/bj0940368. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. ANDERSON B., SENO N., SAMPSON P., RILEY J., HOFFMAN P., MEYER K. THREONINE AND SERINE LINKAGES IN MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES AND GLYCOPROTEINS. J Biol Chem. 1964 Aug;239:PC2716–PC2717. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Beychok S., Kabat E. A. Optical activity and conformation of carbohydrates. I. Optical rotatory dispersion studies on immunochemically reactive amino sugars and their glycosides, milk oligosaccharides, oligosaccharides of glucose, and blood group substances. Biochemistry. 1965 Dec;4(12):2565–2574. doi: 10.1021/bi00888a004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bezkorovainy A., Springer G. F., Hotta K. Some physical properties of the human NN and Me-Vg blood-group antigens. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1966 Feb 28;115(2):501–504. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(66)90453-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. CASPARY E. A. Physico-chemical examination of human blood-group B substances. Biochem J. 1954 Jun;57(2):295–297. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Creeth J. M., Knight C. G. On the estimation of the shape of macromolecules from sedimentation and viscosity measurements. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1965 Jul 22;102(2):549–558. doi: 10.1016/0926-6585(65)90145-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. GIBBONS R. A. Chemical properties of two mucoids from bovine cervical mucin. Biochem J. 1959 Oct;73:209–217. doi: 10.1042/bj0730209. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. GIBBONS R. A., GLOVER F. A. The physicochemical properties of two mucoids from bovine cervical mucin. Biochem J. 1959 Oct;73:217–225. doi: 10.1042/bj0730217. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. GOTTSCHALK A., McKENZIE H. A. Studies on mucoproteins. VIII. On the molecular size and shape of ovine sub-maxillary gland mucoprotein. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1961 Dec 9;54:226–235. doi: 10.1016/0006-3002(61)90361-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. KEKWICK R. A. Addendum; physico-chemical examination of blood-group a substance. Biochem J. 1950 Apr;46(4):438–439. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. KEKWICK R. A. Physicochemical examination of Lewis (Lea) blood-group substance. Biochem J. 1952 Feb;50(4):471–472. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kabat E. A., Bassett E. W., Pryzwansky K., Lloyd K. O., Kaplan M. E., Layug E. J. Immunochemical studies on blood groups. XXXIII. The effects. of alkaline borohydride and of alkali on blood group A, B, and H substances. Biochemistry. 1965 Aug;4(8):1632–1638. doi: 10.1021/bi00884a027. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MORGAN W. T. A contribution to human biochemical genetics; the chemical basis of blood-group specificity. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1960 Feb 2;151:308–347. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1960.0002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MORGAN W. T. Blood group specific mucopolysaccharides. Bull Soc Chim Biol (Paris) 1960;42:1591–1597. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MORGAN W. T. SOME ASPECTS OF IMMUNOLOGICAL SPECIFICITY IN TERMS OF CARBOHYDRATE STRUCTURE. Bull Soc Chim Biol (Paris) 1964;46:1627–1645. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Morgan W. T., King H. K. Studies in immunochemistry: 7. The isolation from hog gastric mucin of the polysaccharide-amino acid complex possessing blood group A specificity. Biochem J. 1943;37(5):640–651. doi: 10.1042/bj0370640. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. NARAYANASWAMI A. Creatine phosphokinase in mammalian brain. Biochem J. 1952 Oct;52(2):295–301. doi: 10.1042/bj0520295. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. PUSZTAI A., MORGAN W. T. STUDIES IN IMMUNOCHEMISTRY. 22. THE AMINO ACID COMPOSITION OF THE HUMAN BLOOD-GROUP A, B, H AND LE-A SPECIFIC SUBSTANCES. Biochem J. 1963 Sep;88:546–555. doi: 10.1042/bj0880546. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. PUSZTAI A., MORGAN W. T. Studies in immunochemistry. 19. Further observations on the preparation and properties of human blood-group-specific mucopolysaccharides. Biochem J. 1961 Jul;80:107–121. doi: 10.1042/bj0800107. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Pusztai A., Morgan W. T. Studies in immunochemistry. 23. Some observations on the heterogeneity of preparations of human blood-group-specific substances. Biochem J. 1964 Nov;93(2):363–372. doi: 10.1042/bj0930363. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. REGE V. P., PAINTER T. J., WATKINS W. M., MORGAN W. T. THREE NEW TRISACCHARIDES OBTAINED FROM HUMAN BLOOD-GROUP A, B, H AND LEA SUBSTANCES: POSSIBLE SUGAR SEQUENCES IN THE CARBOHYDRATE CHAINS. Nature. 1963 Nov 9;200:532–534. doi: 10.1038/200532a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Watkins W. M. Blood-group substances. Science. 1966 Apr 8;152(3719):172–181. doi: 10.1126/science.152.3719.172. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES