Weitere Untersuchungen zur Aminosäuresequenz des Melittins: IV.: Messung der optischen Rotationsdispersion1

Melittin is the (main) toxic peptide of bee venom having a molecular weight of 2840, with a known sequence (s. fig. 1). Optical rotatory dispersion of non-crystalline melittin in aqueous solution suggests that the polypeptide chain is random, although 7% α-helix has been determined. These results are in agreement with the amino acid sequence of melittin and the assumption that the biological activity is attributable to its surface active character.