Light Scattering Study of Eye Lens Beta Crystallin Proteins in Solution

We perform light scattering on bovine beta-high crystallin, an important protein component of the mammalian eye lens.  We compare light scattering results to simplified models for the free energy of mixing of beta crystallins with water.  Our static light scattering data are well-represented by a hard convex body equation of state (1) having a dimensionless non-sphericity coefficient of close to 3, compatible with a prolate spheroid, among other shapes, and a weight-average molecular weight of close to 5 x 10^5 grams/mole.  We also present our quasielastic light scattering results, and compare our results with other recent investigations of beta-high crystallin (2). 

(1) T. Boublik and I. Nezbeda, Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. (1986) 51:11, 2301-2432

(2) F. Roosen-Runge, et al, Biophys. J. (2020) 119:12 2483-2496