Letter from Linus Pauling to J.A. Campbell. August 11, 1955. Page 1  Larger Images / More Information. 1 p.  View Transcript

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Activity Listings

• Itinerary: California Section A.C.S., Berkeley (?) [Filed under LP Travel: Box #1.002, Folder #2.1]
• Letter from Bruce B. Robe, Battelle Memorial Institute, to LP RE: LP's letter to Dr. Williams has reached Robe due to Williams' absence. Appreciates LP's interest in bringing former student Fernando L. Carraro to their attention. Has been considering need for technological assistance to Brazil's industry. Has thought about how Carraro can assist in this regard. No definite plans yet, but will keep Carraro in mind. [Filed under LP Correspondence: (B: Correspondence, 1955-1957), #38.1]
• Letter from Dr. Alexander Rich, Cavendish Laboratory, Physics Dept., University of Cambridge, to LP. [Letter from LP to Rich August 28, 1955] [Filed under LP Science: Box #6.004, Folder #4.19] [Also filed under LP Correspondence: (R: Individual Correspondence. (Reynolds - Riley)), #329.3]

  Dear Dr. Pauling,

  I want to tell you of a structure for collagen that Francis Crick and I have made.

  We started with three polyglycine chains, each with a left handed three-fold screw and hydrogen bonded together as in the polyglycine structure which I described to you in my previous letter. We rotated these to produce a coiled-coil model, this time in a right handed manner. The original repeat (3.1 Å) then falls to 2.86 Å along the axis. This structure repeats after 28.6 Å, each chain having then gone one third the way around. There are ten residues in each chain or a total of thirty residues in the crystallographic repeat. One chain repeats identically after 85.8 Å.

  The structure which we have built has the sequence –gly–pro–hypro– repeating. The glycine nitrogen makes a hydrogen bond to another chain through the center of the structure the hydroxyproline OH makes a bond on the periphery of the model. The sequence predictions from the model are such that gly is necessary, and the hypro is preferred in a site just before the gly in order to make its hydrogen bond to one of the other chains. Proline can be between the gly and hypro but any other amino acid can fit in as well. The same is true for the hypro site, since only the van der Waals contact between the -carbon atom in that position and the adjacent chain is used in producing the coiling of the coils.

  I am enclosing two photographs of the model which we have built. The pentagonal cards are the proline residues. I must apologize for the photographs, as even I find them somewhat confusing. However, I will send you a proper description in a short time.

  We think the model will give the proper diffraction pattern, as we believe this is similar to the Ramachandran-Kartha structure, although modified. We have heard that their model gives an approximately correct diffraction pattern.

  We have looked closely at the infra-red data and do not think there is a conflict as long as there is not too much proline and hydroxyproline.

  We have heard that someone in the laboratory in Pasadena is working on a proline peptide. We would like to have the dimensions for the proline residue if they are available, or perhaps your estimate of what its dimensions would be.

  I will send you a fuller account of the model shortly.

  I hope that things are going pleasantly in Pasadena.

  With Best regards,

  Yours sincerely,

  Alex

• Letter from Dr. J. Van Overbeck, Agricultural Research Division, Shell Development Co., to LP RE: Encloses a reprint of a paper by Houwink which might interest LP. [Letter from LP to Overbeck August 11, 1955] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (V: Correspondence, 1933-1969), #427.15]
• Letter from F.B. Isakson, Office of Naval Research to LP RE: Inform LP that renewal for on year of contract N6onr-24432 (NR 017-411) has received scientific approval of the Physics Branch and has been referred to the ONR Contract Division for negotiation. [Letter from Gree to Department of the Navy June 23, 1955] [Filed under LP Science: (Office of Naval Research: Correspondence, Contract Status Reports and Project Status Reports, 1947-1962), Box #14.031, Folder #31.18]
• Letter from LP to Dr. W.W. Newschwander, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Central Washington College of Education, RE: LP does not believe it would be wise for him to accept Newschwander's invitation to lecture at the proposed Institute for High School Chemistry Teachers next summer at Central. Would not like to have a heavy lecturing schedule during the first part of the summer and has tentative plans for a trip to Europe that summer. However, enjoys Northwest and enjoys attending the Institutes for Teachers of Chemistry. Suggests that he attend the first week of the Institute. [Letter from Newschwander and Crum to LP August 1, 1955, Letter from Newschwander to LP August 16, 1955] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (N: Correspondence), #287.22]
• Letter from Professor H.C. Longuet-Higgins, Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, to LP RE: Agrees that the possibility of the closed-shell tetragonal structure for elementary boron should not be excluded until the necessary calculations are made. However, feels quite confident about the hypothesis in view of calculations made on the calcium boride system. Encloses the paper which describes this in detail. Does not feel that any simple conclusion can be drawn regarding the electronic structure from the observed bond lengths. Will be interested to hear if LP's calculations on calcium boride lead the similar conclusions. [Letters from LP to Longuet-Higgins July 11, 1955, August 31, 1955] [Filed under LP Correspondence: (L: Individual Correspondence. (Longuet-Higgins - LuValle)), #218.1]
• Letter from Professor Melvin Calvin, Radiation Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, to LP RE: LP's letter regarding the symposium on Molecular Structure and Biological Specificity reached Calvin in Brussels. Calvin was able to discuss it directly with Shinn. Shinn will see if he can arrange for Calvin to travel to Washington for it since he would very much like to attend. [Letter from LP to Calvin July 22, 1955, Letter from Calvin to LP September 7, 1955] [Filed under LP Speeches: 1955s.24]