Conformation of blood-group and virus receptor glycoproteins from red cells and secretions.

Optical rotatory dispersion of human blood-group and virus receptor glycoproteins from erythrocytes and secretions was studied in the far-ultraviolet. Erythrocyte membrane blood-group glycoproteins, with potent virus receptor activities, contained significant alpha-helical and extended beta conformations, whereas the glycoproteins of secretions were largely disordered. These conclusions were supported by determination of the Moffitt constants (b(0)) and by measurements of circular dichroism.