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Comparison of 4 × 6-meric hemocyanins from three different arthropods using computer alignment and correspondence analysis

1982; Elsevier BV; Volume: 161; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0022-2836(82)90283-2

1089-8638

Martha M. C. Bijlholt, M. G. van Heel, E.F.J. Van Bruggen,

Agricultural pest management studies

We have compared 4 × 6-meric hemocyanin molecules from Androctonus australis and Eurypelma californicum with the similar 4 × 6-meric half-molecules of Limulus polyphemus hemocyanin. This comparison was performed using multivariate statistical analysis applied to computer-aligned electron microscopical images of the molecules: a method that was recently proposed by van Heel & Frank (1980,1981). Our study shows that the molecules are very similar indeed, and that the evidence for a tetrameric arrangement of the hexamers found in 4 × 6-meric Limulus molecules (van Heel & Frank, 1980,1981) also holds for Androctonus and Eurypelma hemocyanin. The model proposed for this molecule by Lamy et al. (1981) is therefore based on correct assumptions. In addition, our study shows that correspondence analysis, as a method of multivariate statistical analysis, is capable of detecting subtle differences between similar structures as well as differences in preparative conditions, effects that were hitherto not accessible to quantitative analysis.