ANTIGENS AS BIOCATALYSTS 45 



does not create a new reaction; it does not make the impossible pos- 

 sible; it simply accelerates a possible reaction. 



It has been stated that "a catalyst not only accelerates a reaction, 

 but makes a reaction possible" (Willstatter, 1927; Schade, 1923; see 

 also Mittasch, 1935, 1938). This statement should not be taken too 

 literally. This implies, for example, that hydrolysis of proteins is not 

 demonstrable in the absence of proteolytic enzymes, but in the presence 

 of traces of these agents marked hydrolysis occurs. The effect is 

 dramatic. At the surface it may appear that such an effect is equivalent 

 to the creation of new substances by, apparently, non-existent reactions. 

 These processes are, however, thermodynamically possible. The fact 

 that a catalyst encourages and accelerates such tendencies which 

 already theoretically exist is not equivalent to the creation of a new 

 reaction, or making the impossible possible. 



5. Does Antibody Synthesis Involve New Processes Which 

 Did Not Already Exist in the Animal System? 



If we assume that the basic chemical processes responsible for the 

 synthesis of antibody are different from those of the serum globulins 

 we must also assume and demonstrate that there are basic chemical 

 differences between the antibody and serurri globulins. If this should 

 prove to be true, then it could also be assumed that the antigen has 

 produced in the animal system new processes for the synthesis of anti- 

 bodies. This would necessarily create a discrepancy between the con- 

 cept of catalysis and that of antigen exercising the role of a catalyst. If 

 on the other hand, the available experimental data show that the 

 chemical characteristics of both the antibody and serum globulins are 

 practically indistinguishable then it is reasonable to accept the thesis 

 that the synthetic processes involved for both the immune and normal 

 globulins are essentially the same. The directive influences, however, 

 may bring about certain configurational changes in the globulin 

 molecules to account for the serological specificity of antibody globu- 

 lins. In other words, the change from normal globulin to antibody 

 globulin involves a change of the "configurational pattern" and not 

 of the basic structures. Thus the above mentioned discrepancy between 

 the concept of catalysis and that of antigen acting as a catalyst would 

 not exist. This point of view will receive further support if we take 



