Small-angle X-ray-scattering studies of the C hordeins of barley (Hordeum vulgare)

Abstract

Small angle X-ray scattering was used to study the solution conformation of the C hordeins of barley (Hordeum vulgare), a group of proteins whose primary structure consists predominantly of an octapeptide repeat motif. Measurements on the protein in 0.1 M-acetic acid at 25 degrees C are consistent with a model for the protein conformation of a stiff coil, the so-called ‘worm-like’ chain. The characteristic parameters (the Kuhn statistical segment length and the contour length) of the protein were calculated as 5.11 and 71.5 nm respectively.