CONSEQUENCES OF THE POLYPEPTID STRUCTURE 25 



H 



I 

 -COH=N- + Na+ + OH' = -CONa++ + ^N- (i) 



I 



OH 

 and 



H 



-COH = N- + H++C1' = -COH+++ ^N- (ii) 



I 



Cl 

 yielding, in each case, only protein ions. 



I have already incidentally dwelt upon the fact, in connection 

 with Kossel's theory of a protamin nucleus of proteins and in 

 connection with the neutralizing powers of edestin for acids and 

 of casein for bases, that there is reason to suspect that diamino 

 and dicarboxylic radicals in the protein molecule play a pre- 

 dominant part in accomplishing the neutralization of acids and 

 bases, and electrochemical data, as we shall see, lend further 

 support to this view. Accordingly, the above formulae, which 

 represent the reaction when only a single COHN bond is 

 involved should probably, at least in many instances, be doubled, 

 and in the following possibilities would then exist: 

 In combination with bases, 



H OH 

 \ / 



.COH.N- /COK++ ^N- 



R' + KOH + H 2 = R' + (iii) 



X COH.N- N COH++ <*N- 



/ \ 

 H OH 



H OH 

 \ / 



/COH.N- /COK++ ^N- 



R' +2KOH = R^ + (iv) 



X COH.N- X COK++ ^N- 



/ \ 

 H OH 

 In combination with acids, 



H Cl 



\ / 

 -COH.N. -COH++ ^N v 



)R + HC1 + H 2 0= + )R (v) 



-COH.N X -COH++ ^N x 



/ \ 

 H OH 



