Studies by small-angle X-ray scattering of the quaternary structure of the beta-haemocyanin of Helix pomatia.

Helix pomatia beta-haemocyanin was studied in solution by small-angle X-ray scattering. The following molecular parameters were determined: molecular weight = 9.02 X 10(6), volume = 14000 nm3, radius of gyration = 18.4 nm, radius of the spherical subunits = 2.5 +/- 0.2 nm. With these data, and with information of dissociation products described in a former paper, a model of the molecule was built whose theoretical scattering curve showed good agreement with the experimental one. The model consists of 160 spherical subunits of a radius of 2.5 nm; 12 rings each built up of 10 spheres form the outer wall of a hollow cylinder; 20 subunits are situated at the inner side of each end.