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Depression of Freezing Point by Glycoproteins from an Antarctic Fish

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Abstract

SCHOLANDER and colleagues1–3 observed that the blood sera of some polar fishes contain a substance of high molecular weight which lowers the freezing point. The general properties and structures of a family of several glycoproteins with this characteristic have recently been described in Antarctic fishes4–14. These “antifreeze” glycoproteins (AFGP) consist of repeating units of the triglycopeptide Ala-Ala-Thr-o-disaccharide. Three active glycoproteins have been characterized; these differ only in polymer length, with molecular weights ranging from 10,500 to 21,000 g mol−1 as determined by ultracentrifugation, light scattering, or osmotic pressure6,11. According to the freezing point depression, however, the apparent molecular weight is only 20 g mol−1, a value equivalent to >500 times the depression calculated from the molecular weights.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorium für Festkörperphysik, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, Zürich, Hönggerberg, CH-8049, Zürich

    R. E. FEENEY & R. HOFMANN

  2. Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis, California, 95616

    R. E. FEENEY

Authors
  1. R. E. FEENEY
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  2. R. HOFMANN
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FEENEY, R., HOFMANN, R. Depression of Freezing Point by Glycoproteins from an Antarctic Fish. Nature 243, 357–359 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/243357a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/243357a0

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