68 L. A. BLUMENFELD AND A. E. KALMANSON 



signal practically coincides with g^-factors of the free electron except for several 

 proteins with high sulphur content, which give signals with ^--factor of 2-024, 

 testifying to the localization of the uncoui^led electrons on the sulphm- atom. 



I believe that in all the cases mentioned here the magnitude of the signal is 

 determined only by the nvmiber of the imcoupled electrons, as in all the com- 

 pounds with paramagnetic properties. 



passynsky: To what extent are all -molecular electron levels utilized in proteins 

 and nucleic acids unexposed to irradiations under their basic natural con- 

 ditions? 



BLUMENFELD : I believe that in all the proteins and nucleic acids there are 

 potentially these all-molecular levels, but under the basic conditions of these 

 compoimds they are unpopulated. In the case of proteins they become populated 

 when enzymatic processes occvu-, owing to the formation of the comj)lex sub- 

 strate-enzyme. Or they become populated as an effect of irradiation. But 

 protein molecviles as such do not possess populated all-molecular levels and from 

 this standpoint are not semiconductors. 



