Evening star., 1938-05-07
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field.
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY

Discovery In liver OF a new red pip-
ment of unknown composition. which
has the enormous molecular weight of
5000 600 to 1000 0000-something unprec-
edented for higher animal organisms.
has been reported to the American
Chemical Society by Dr. Kurt G. Stern
OF Yale Unlversitys School of Medicine.
1t is different. Dr. Stern said from any
other substance. from liver or any other
source. yet described. 1t cannot be
placed in any known class of chemical
compounds
Moiecules of comparable size he
continued, have not previously been
encountered in higher animal organisms,
Only hemocyanine, the copper contain
ing blood pigment of invertebrates, may
reach similar dimension. The molecule
OF the crystalline tobacco mosaic virus
protein, perhaps the most minute form
of life, found by DR.. w. NJ Stanley of
the Rockefeller Institute and Dr. w. G.
Wyckoff of the Yale laboratory is only
four or five times larger
While it appears that the red liver
pigment has the size of 10000 to 400O,-
0O0 to start with in the liver itself, re-
cent evidence indicates that the crystal
line tobacco mosaic virus protein is an
artifact produced by aggutination of
smaller natural virus particles during
the isolation procedures.
The biological function of the red
liver pigment is as vet obscure. We as
sumo that it is in some way connected
with biological oxidation because it may
be reduced to colorless form The red
color. however. appears to be a property
OF the large molecule itself and not of
an lmpurity. The colored group is very
firmly attached to the colloidal part,
which presumably is protein. We
plan to study this interesting substance
more extensively. Thus far the ultra
centrifuge is the only tool which is able
to sort the catalase molecules apart from
the red pigment molecules because of the
tremendous difference in molecular
weight"
Catalase is the ferment of the body
which decomposes hydrogen peroxide
into water and gaseous oxygen. 1t is
catalase in the bloodstream which
causes hydrogen peroxide applied to
cut to bubble. The presence of catalase
in the body prevents harmful accumu-
latlon of hydrogen peroxide during
processes of metabolism.
After purifying catalase, the Yale
scientists determined its molecular
weight to be 250,00O to 100000 or four
times larger than that of hemoglobin,
the respiratory pigment of red blood
corpuscles The molecular weight was
figured by photographicaAy measuring
the rate OF sedimentation of catalase
While Whirling in an analytical ultra
centr1fuge. Catalase consists of pro-
teln tied up with an iron compound of
the form which also composes the non-
protein part of hemoglobin.
The great potency OF catalase, DR..
Stern pointed out, is indicated by the
TACT that while inorganic iron salts will
similarly decompose hydrogen peroxide,
one molecule of catalase will do the
work of 100000 molecules of iron salt.
Engines, it was explained, are bio
logical catalysts which aid in distinte-
grating and combining foodstuffs and
in synthesizing cellular material for
growth and regeneration purposes. They
are produced only by living cells, yet are
able to act independently of living Or
ganisms. Each engine causes a par
ticular reaction without appearing to
take part in it. Reactions which other
wise would require the application of
high temperatures or of drastic chemi-
Gals are catalyzed by engines at low
temperatures and in neutral media.
Before life processes may be under
stood, the secret Of engine action will
have to be discovered" DR.. Stern de-