August 11, 1937
Dr. A. E. Mirsky
6 Tyler Road
Hanover, New Hampshire
Dear Alfred:
I am very much interesting to read about your results on Myocin. It seems to me that
these experiments on thermal contraction provide a great deal of information about
the nature of muscle contraction, and that you are now in a position by studying the
phenomenon further to obtain more valuable information about the phenomenon.
It is interesting that you have been able to oxidize the sulfhydryl groups in native
egg albumin with iodine. I suppose that the steric protection afforded these groups
by the configuration of the native molecule would have the effect of decreasing their
activity so that they would be made resistant to attack by weaker oxidizing agents
while still susceptible to stronger ones.
We have had several visitors at the laboratory this summer, including Sidgwick of
Oxford, who left day before yesterday after staying here for a week. Sidgwick told
me that our paper on protein structure had aroused considerable interest at Oxford
and that he and Robinson had asked Hopkins if the paper were sound on the biochemical
side and that Hopkins had said that it was extremely good.
There is great activity in the laboratory, with most of the research men still at
work, and also on the campus, where the construction of the four new laboratories
is proceeding rapidly. Concrete has been poured for the Crellin Laboratory completely
except for the roof.
I am looking forward to seeing you in New York at some time during the coming fall.
U [sic] think that Helen will come with me to Ithaca for the month of October.
With best regards to you and Reba, I am
Yours,
Linus Pauling
LP:mrl
