Protein Denaturation in Heavy Water

Abstract

THE increasing availability of deuterium oxide resulting from developments in nuclear energy renders it opportune to reopen the general question of the effects of deuteration on biological activity. Numerous investigations have utilized deuterium as a tracer. There are few quantitative studies, however, which help provide a basis for an understanding of the profound consequences of extensive deuteration on living organisms. To this end, we have now carried out experiments on the denaturation of ovalbumin in 99.6 per cent heavy water.