The Structure of Collagen

The Structure of Collagen

Contributor(s):
Rich, Alexander
Crick, Francis, 1916-2004
Nature
Publication:
Nature Publishing Group, 12 November 1955
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Genre(s):
Archival Materials
Articles
Abstract:
During the 1950s Crick made crucial contributions not only to the study of DNA and the genetic code, but to X-ray structure analysis of important biological molecules. He was instrumental in extending helical diffraction theory to construct three-dimensional maps of protein molecules from X-ray data. In particular, he calculated the complicated X-ray diffraction pattern produced by a helix that was itself wound around a second axis into a larger super helix, or coiled coil. In this paper, Crick and Alexander Rich, a visiting physical chemist in the Cavendish laboratory who had studied the structure of RNA with James Watson at the California Institute of Technology, applied helical diffraction theory to deduce the three-chain, coiled coil structure of collagen, a family of extracellular proteins that are a major component of connective tissue and make up one-third of all proteins in the human body. The discovery of the three-dimensional structure of a protein was an important event in molecular biology during the 1950s.
Copyright:
This item may be under copyright protection; contact the copyright owner for permission before re-use.
Extent:
2 pages
NLM Unique ID:
101584582X393 (See in Profiles in Science)
Profiles in Science ID:
SCBBZL
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101584582X393
Archival Collection:
The Francis Crick Papers (Profiles in Science)