The Molecular Architecture for the Intermediate Filaments of Hard α-Keratin Based on the Superlattice Data Obtained from a Study of Mammals Using Synchrotron Fibre Diffraction

High- and low-angle X-ray diffraction studies of hard α-keratin have been studied, and various models have been proposed over the last 70 years. Most of these studies have been confined to one or two forms of alpha keratin. This high- and low-angle synchrotron fibre diffraction study extends the stu...

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Main Author: Veronica James
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:Biochemistry Research International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/198325
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author Veronica James
author_facet Veronica James
author_sort Veronica James
collection DOAJ
description High- and low-angle X-ray diffraction studies of hard α-keratin have been studied, and various models have been proposed over the last 70 years. Most of these studies have been confined to one or two forms of alpha keratin. This high- and low-angle synchrotron fibre diffraction study extends the study to cover all available data for all known forms of hard α-keratin including hairs, fingernails, hooves, horn, and quills from mammals, marsupials, and a monotreme, and it confirms that the model proposed is universally acceptable for all mammals. A complete Bragg analysis of the meridional diffraction patterns, including multiple-time exposures to verify any weak reflections, verified the existence of a superlattice consisting of two infinite lattices and three finite lattices. An analysis of the equatorial patterns establishes the radii of the oligomeric levels of dimers, tetramers, and intermediate filaments (IFs) together with the centre to centre distance for the IFs, thus confirming the proposed helices within helices molecular architecture for hard α-keratin. The results verify that the structure proposed by Feughelman and James meets the criteria for a valid α-keratin structure.
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spelling doaj-art-ed4d1a531785413ca1e3a9bf72df71dc2025-02-03T06:08:47ZengWileyBiochemistry Research International2090-22472090-22552011-01-01201110.1155/2011/198325198325The Molecular Architecture for the Intermediate Filaments of Hard α-Keratin Based on the Superlattice Data Obtained from a Study of Mammals Using Synchrotron Fibre DiffractionVeronica James0Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, AustraliaHigh- and low-angle X-ray diffraction studies of hard α-keratin have been studied, and various models have been proposed over the last 70 years. Most of these studies have been confined to one or two forms of alpha keratin. This high- and low-angle synchrotron fibre diffraction study extends the study to cover all available data for all known forms of hard α-keratin including hairs, fingernails, hooves, horn, and quills from mammals, marsupials, and a monotreme, and it confirms that the model proposed is universally acceptable for all mammals. A complete Bragg analysis of the meridional diffraction patterns, including multiple-time exposures to verify any weak reflections, verified the existence of a superlattice consisting of two infinite lattices and three finite lattices. An analysis of the equatorial patterns establishes the radii of the oligomeric levels of dimers, tetramers, and intermediate filaments (IFs) together with the centre to centre distance for the IFs, thus confirming the proposed helices within helices molecular architecture for hard α-keratin. The results verify that the structure proposed by Feughelman and James meets the criteria for a valid α-keratin structure.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/198325
spellingShingle Veronica James
The Molecular Architecture for the Intermediate Filaments of Hard α-Keratin Based on the Superlattice Data Obtained from a Study of Mammals Using Synchrotron Fibre Diffraction
Biochemistry Research International
title The Molecular Architecture for the Intermediate Filaments of Hard α-Keratin Based on the Superlattice Data Obtained from a Study of Mammals Using Synchrotron Fibre Diffraction
title_full The Molecular Architecture for the Intermediate Filaments of Hard α-Keratin Based on the Superlattice Data Obtained from a Study of Mammals Using Synchrotron Fibre Diffraction
title_fullStr The Molecular Architecture for the Intermediate Filaments of Hard α-Keratin Based on the Superlattice Data Obtained from a Study of Mammals Using Synchrotron Fibre Diffraction
title_full_unstemmed The Molecular Architecture for the Intermediate Filaments of Hard α-Keratin Based on the Superlattice Data Obtained from a Study of Mammals Using Synchrotron Fibre Diffraction
title_short The Molecular Architecture for the Intermediate Filaments of Hard α-Keratin Based on the Superlattice Data Obtained from a Study of Mammals Using Synchrotron Fibre Diffraction
title_sort molecular architecture for the intermediate filaments of hard α keratin based on the superlattice data obtained from a study of mammals using synchrotron fibre diffraction
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/198325
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AT veronicajames moleculararchitecturefortheintermediatefilamentsofhardakeratinbasedonthesuperlatticedataobtainedfromastudyofmammalsusingsynchrotronfibrediffraction