15. 



The Linking of Pol ypeptide Sp i rals 



Since th ^ distance between the centers of 

 adjacent carbon atoms is about 1.54 x 10"® cr. , 

 the diameter of a pol;>'p ept ide spiral, as measured 

 between the centers of the •^toms, would be ^bout 

 ?.l X 10~° cm. It will therefore require several 

 hundred spirals arranged side by side to produce 

 an organism^ at large ^s the sm.a]lest visible 

 bacillus, whijQh m2asure3 about 1000 x 10"^ cm 

 in diameter. In order that the organism may 

 possess definite individual characteristics, these 

 spir'-Qs would hav b to be coupled together in some 

 permanent m.anner, but after they are thus coupled 

 tog 3th er, they will have a tendency to preserve 

 their arrangs-ment throughout growth, and if trans- 

 verse fission occurs, each portion would hav3 to 

 continue growing according to the originpJ pattern, 

 There will thus be exhibit 3d, in the simplest 

 possible mann3r, a proc3ss of inheritanc3 by vmich 

 parental characteristics are preserved throughout 

 growth and transmitted to th 3 progeny. 



It appears that there ar 3 only a limited 

 numbsr of ways in which adjacent spirals can 

 be connect 3d tog3th3r. The connecting ccm.plexes 

 must be conparat iv 3I y simple, b?caus 3 if more 

 than a cert^^in number of int srmiDdiat 3 atoms are 

 pr3S3nt their m.ovBmonts v:ill no longer be 

 definit3ly coordinated so as to form th 3 r required 

 int3rmediat3 structures, but will b3 m5r3 or 1 3ss 

 at random. In ord3r to d?t3rmin3 the nature of 

 thes3 conn3cting complexes, th 3 use of atomic 

 models is r 3ccm.mend 3d, b'^caus3 the probl 3ms 

 encountered hsre ar 3 structural rather than 

 dynam.ic . 



