SAXS ON INVERTEBRATE DIOXYGEN CARRIERS

Some preliminary SAXS measurements have been carried out on four diffe rent extracellular invertebrate dioxygen carriers. The validity of the procedure has been tested on arthropod hemocyanin: the radii of gyrat ion deduced from SAXS spectra agree with those calculated from the dim ensions of the structure determined by X-ray crystallography. The radi i of gyration of Spirographis spallanzanii chlorocruorin agrees with v alues deduced from 3D structures obtained with Electron Microscopy. Th e radius of gyration and the radiUS Of gyration of the cross section o f Octopus vulgaris hemocyanin are compatible with a ring structure, as deduced from investigations made by Electron Microscopy.