Phosvitin, A Phosphoglycoprotein

Abstract
Studies of viscosity, optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism on the phosphoglycoprotein phosvitin indicate that this protein resembles a polyelectrolyte. At alkaline pH phosvitin has an unordered conformation, whereas at pH 3.0 to 3.6 some β‐structure is present. When at pH 3.6 an organic solvent is added to a phosvitin solution the protein undergoes a transition from the random conformation to β‐structure. Similarly, if phosvitin interacts with the polybases poly‐L‐lysine and protamine the complexes form a β‐pleated sheet structure.