应用扫描隧道显微镜对几种动物金属硫蛋白的比较研究

The Molecular Structure Comparison of Three Kinds of Metallothioneins with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

金属硫蛋白（简称ＭＴ）在生物体内发挥着多种重要作用，因而对其结构的研究越来越受到人们的重视。但由于技术上的困难，目前仅有少数几种动物的ＭＴ经过Ｘ射线衍射或ＮＭＲ技术得以精确测定，对于其余大多数，人们还知之甚少。我们运用ＳＴＭ技术成功地观察到兔、刺猬和蚯蚓的ＭＴ分子，而后两种ＭＴ分子的结构尚未见报导。通过对三种动物ＭＴ分子结构的比较，我们认为，双球形结构模式是ＭＴ分子行使其正常生物学功能所必需的。

The research of the structure of metallothionein(MT)becomes more and more interesting because it playsan important role in the metabolism of trace element,detoxification of heavy metals,elimination of hydroxylfree radical and protection against ionizing radiation,etc.After we successfully observed MT extracted fromrabbit with STM in l993,we have observed the structure of MTs of hedgehog and earthworm,which have nev-er been resolved before.The comparison of the MTs structure of rabbit,hedgehog and earthworm indicates thatthe double-globe model of MT structure is necessary to its biological function.