Energy bands and charge transfer in proteins.

The effects of salts on protein--the causing of a shift in isoelectric point and the altering of the melting temperature--are proposed to be the result of binding to the protein peptide chain, which is considered as a one-dimensional solid. The interaction of methylglyoxal with protein and polylysine to give charge-transfer complexes and allow electrical conductivity are viewed as further support for the band structure of proteins. Calculations on protein chains resembling real proteins show that conductivity should be much less than expected for homopolypeptides.