title: Atomic tritium as an instrument for study of protein behavior at the air-water interface.
abstract: Atomic tritium was successfully applied as an instrument for study of protein behavior at the air-water interface. Samples of lysozyme solution in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) with concentration of 2 mg/ml incubated at the room temperature for 1 h were exposed to bombardment with tritium atoms generated on hot tungsten wire in special vacuum device. This procedure resulted in substitution of hydrogen atoms by radioactive tritium in the thin surface layer of studied preparations. Analysis of experimental data on intramolecular radioactivity distribution in lysozyme and computer simulation of tritium bombardment allowed us to suggest two equally probable opposite orientations of lysozyme molecule in the adsorption layer at the air-water interface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chromatography, A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119992, Russia. elena@belozersky.msu.ru
authors.forename: Elena V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Lukashina
authors.forename: Gennady A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Badun
authors.forename: Alexey L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Chulichkov
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003461:Crystallography / Q000379:methods*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009113:Muramidase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties; D014316:Tritium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D014316:Tritium; D009113:Muramidase