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Published January 1, 1950 | public
Journal Article Open

On the unlikelihood of specific long range forces in immunologic and enzymatic reactions

Singer, S. J.

Abstract

In the past few years, a great many experiments have been performed by Rothen (24, 25) which he has interpreted as suggesting that antigen and antibody, and enzyme and substrate proteins, can react specifically, although separated by distances of hundreds of angstroms. This hypothesis seems to conflict with evidence accumulated from many other investigations indicating that short range interactions, involving distances usually associated with electrostatic and van der Waals' forces, and hydrogen bonds, of the order of 5 A, operate in these reactions. We have therefore engaged in a critical analysis of the experimental techniques used by Rothen to determine whether some interpretation other than that invoking the existence of specific long range forces could be found to explain his experimental results.

Additional Information

Copyright © 1950 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Received for publication, July 5, 1949. The author is grateful to Professor Linus Pauling for suggesting this research and for his continued help and advice. The electron micrographs were taken by Professor R. F. Baker, of the University of Southern California, and Dr. B. Henke, of this Institute, and some of the specimens were prepared by Mr. R. F. Petzold; the author is indebted to them for their assistance. This work was supported in part by a grant from the United States Public Health Service. This paper was presented before the meeting of the American Society of Biological Chemists at Detroit, April, 1949. [S.J.S. was a] Postdoctora1 Research Fellow, National Institutes of Health, United States Public Health Service. Gates and Crellin Laboratories of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Contribution No. 1309.

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August 21, 2023
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