Biopolymer solutions and model systems under high pressure (The co-operative researches on the fundamental studies of the liquid phase reactions at high pressures)

Abstract

The evidences are presented that the effects of pressure on proteins are inverted, in the range 2, 000～3, 000atm. This curious inversion can be illustrated according to the following conclusion derived from the studies of the model systems: pressures below about 3, 000 atm favor the formation of hydrogen bonds and the disruption of hydrophobic bonds, and above this pressure these trends are inverse in aqueous solutions. All of these inversion phenomena in the range 1, 000～3, 000 atm will reflect the change of water structure under high pressure. Deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) can not be denatured by compression up to 10, 000 atm in contrast with proteins. The facts are discusssed from the view of the differences in conformations between DNA and proteins.