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B M Powell

Publications and source records attributed to B M Powell.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1983

Small-angle neutron scattering from native and irradiated superoxide dismutase in aqueous solution.

The approximate size and shape of holo and apo forms of bovine cupro-zinc erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) were determined by small-angle neutron scattering from aqueous solutions at neutral pH. A model assuming a cylindrical shape gave the best fit to the data for both forms of the enzyme. The radius of gyration, Rg, of the apoenzyme was found to be marginally larger than that of the holoenzyme. Scattering from the protein vanished for H2O/2H2O mixtures containing 42(+/- 2)% 2H2O, and the negligible dependence of Rg on the 2H2O fraction indicated uniform scattering density. Irradiation with 60Co gamma-rays resulted in aggregation of superoxide dismutase molecules; scattering at small doses was interpreted in terms of pairwise side-by-side aggregation. For large doses (approx. 3.8 X 10(3) Gy) and at relatively high enzyme concentrations (320 microM), the interpretation of the neutron scattering data is ambiguous. The value of Rg suggests that end-to-end stacking of the cylindrical molecules is one possibility. The equilibrium concentration of separated subunits was found to be unobservable and calculations showed that denaturation did not contribute significantly to our neutron scattering measurements for the radiation doses employed (maximum 3.8 X 10(5) Gy). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) data showed that in mixtures the apo and holo forms of superoxide dismutase interact with one another, and that the side-by-side aggregates, induced by irradiation of the enzyme, are readily dissociated, resulting in a single elution peak that is resolved from the later peak common to both the apo and holo forms.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Dehydration of cytosine monohydrate at physiological temperatures.

Neutron diffraction, thermogravimetric, and mass spectrographic measurements have been used to show that cytosine monohydrate loses its water of hydration at physiological temperatures (approximately equal to 37 degrees C) and converts to cytosine. The "activation energy" for the dehydration process has been determined from isothermal weight curves and is 27.1 +/- 0.6 kcal . mol-1. It is suggested that pyrimidine dehydration may be involved in structural changes in DNA.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1983

Intermolecular potentials for alpha-glycine from Raman and infrared scattering measurements.

The frequencies of intermolecular modes in alpha-glycine-d0 and -d5 have been measured at 300 and 85 K by Raman and infrared scattering techniques. These frequencies were analyzed in terms of simple analytic interatomic potentials. Buckingham potentials were assumed for the nonbonded and hydrogen-bond interactions, and Coulomb and screened Coulomb potentials were assumed for the electrostatic interactions. The observed frequencies are well described by the simple model and the parameters of the hydrogen-bond potentials and the molecular charge distribution were determined from the analysis.

Glycine↗
PubMed1981

Hydrogen bonding in DNA base complexes.

Experimental intermolecular frequencies in the DNA base complexes 1-methylthymine (1-MT) and cytosine monohydrate (CMH) are analyzed in terms of simple analytic interatomic potentials. Calculations with two different values for the constants of the nonbonded interactions are considered, and the hydrogen bond potentials are determined for each of these models. The observed frequencies in 1-MT are reasonably well described, although corresponding potentials are very different in the two models. The observed frequencies in CMH are less well described, although corresponding hydrogen bond potentials are similar in the two models. Hydration interactions are found to be important in CMH and the role of the water molecule is discussed. Possible reasons for the shortcomings of this simple analysis are considered.

Cytosine↗
PubMed1980

Physical characteristics of human transferrin from small angle neutron scattering.

The technique of small angle neutron scattering has been used to determine the molecular shape, the volume, and the molecular weight of pooled human transferrin in an aqueous solution isotonic with blood. Analysis of the measurements assuming a spheroidal molecular shape indicates that an oblate spheroid with semi-axes of length 46.6 +/- 1.4, 46.6 +/- 1.4 and 15.8 +/- 3.8 A, and a molecular volume of (144 +/- 45) X 10(3) A3 is the best simple approximation to the shape of the transferrin molecule. The radius of gyration, Rg, determined from a Guinier plot is 30.25 +/- 0.49 A, in agreement with Rg calculated for the oblate spheroidal shape. The molecular weight is determined to be (75 +/- 5) X 10(3). The shape-independent molecular volume is found to be (98 +/- 10) X 10(3) A3. The difference in the two volumes suggests that transferrin is not a uniform spheroid but may have a more complex shape.

Hemoglobins↗