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Home > Dictionary of Science Quotations > Scientist Names Index K > Sir John Cowdery Kendrew Quotes

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Sir John Cowdery Kendrew
(24 Mar 1917 - 23 Aug 1997)

English biochemist.


Science Quotes by Sir John Cowdery Kendrew (1 quote)

In describing a protein it is now common to distinguish the primary, secondary and tertiary structures. The primary structure is simply the order, or sequence, of the amino-acid residues along the polypeptide chains. This was first determined by Sanger using chemical techniques for the protein insulin, and has since been elucidated for a number of peptides and, in part, for one or two other small proteins. The secondary structure is the type of folding, coiling or puckering adopted by the polypeptide chain: the a-helix structure and the pleated sheet are examples. Secondary structure has been assigned in broad outline to a number of librous proteins such as silk, keratin and collagen; but we are ignorant of the nature of the secondary structure of any globular protein. True, there is suggestive evidence, though as yet no proof, that a-helices occur in globular proteins, to an extent which is difficult to gauge quantitatively in any particular case. The tertiary structure is the way in which the folded or coiled polypeptide chains are disposed to form the protein molecule as a three-dimensional object, in space. The chemical and physical properties of a protein cannot be fully interpreted until all three levels of structure are understood, for these properties depend on the spatial relationships between the amino-acids, and these in turn depend on the tertiary and secondary structures as much as on the primary. Only X-ray diffraction methods seem capable, even in principle, of unravelling the tertiary and secondary structures.
Co-author with G. Bodo, H. M. Dintzis, R. G. Parrish, H. Wyckoff, and D. C. Phillips
— Sir John Cowdery Kendrew
'A Three-Dimensional Model of the Myoglobin Molecule Obtained by X-ray Analysis', Nature (1958) 181, 662.
Science quotes on:  |  Acid (83)  |  Amino Acid (12)  |  Author (175)  |  Capable (174)  |  Chemical (303)  |  Common (447)  |  Depend (238)  |  Difficult (263)  |  Diffraction (5)  |  Distinguish (168)  |  Evidence (267)  |  Extent (142)  |  First (1302)  |  Form (976)  |  Helix (10)  |  Ignorant (91)  |  Insulin (9)  |  Method (531)  |  Molecule (185)  |  Nature (2017)  |  Number (710)  |  Object (438)  |  Occur (151)  |  Order (638)  |  Other (2233)  |  Physical (518)  |  Polypeptide (2)  |  Primary (82)  |  Principle (530)  |  Proof (304)  |  Protein (56)  |  Ray (115)  |  Relationship (114)  |  Residue (9)  |  Frederick Sanger (6)  |  Sequence (68)  |  Silk (14)  |  Small (489)  |  Space (523)  |  Structure (365)  |  Technique (84)  |  Three-Dimensional (11)  |  Turn (454)  |  Two (936)  |  Type (171)  |  Understood (155)  |  Way (1214)  |  X-ray (43)  |  X-ray Diffraction (5)


See also:
  • 24 Mar - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Kendrew's birth.
  • The Thread of Life: An Introduction to Molecular Biology, by John Cowdery Kendrew. - book suggestion.

Carl Sagan Thumbnail In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. (1987) -- Carl Sagan
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