酵素プローブ法による還元型ケラチンの物理化学的性質

抄録

For the purpose to utilize keratin as a functional polymer, the reduced keratin was prepared by the reaction of human hair with sodium sulfide and thioglycolate. The molecular states of the reduced keratin in solution have been studied by viscometry as well as ORD spectrophotometry and its precipitates by the enzyme-probe method.
The molecular weight of the reduced keratin was estimated to be about 5000, and the amount of SH group was 0.53 m-equivalent per g of protein. The reduced keratin was insoluble in aqueous solution whose pH lies within the range of 2 - 5.2. It was plausible that the reduced keratin formed a temporary network by the molecular interaction and contained 8 - 16% α -helices. It seemed that upon heating at 60 - 75° C the volume of molecules diminished and the molecular interaction increased. This molecular interaction might have influence on the enzyme molecule surrounded with the precipitates and interfere with the denaturation of enzyme.