X-ray characterization of melanins--II

Pigment Cell Res. 1994 Aug;7(4):263-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0749.1994.tb00061.x.

Abstract

Structural modeling of amorphous eumelanin has been carried out by comparing calculated data, S(q) and RDF(r), in reciprocal and real space, respectively, for limited random network models with the experimental X-ray scattering data of tyrosine melanin (Cheng et al., 1994). A basic picture of the atomic arrangements in amorphous eumelanin, which accounts for the short and intermediate range order, has been formulated. This reveals domains of a fundamental "particle" dimension of R approximately 15 A, consisting of a paracrystalline array of disordered planar networks polymerized by 4-8 DHI monomers with a graphite-like stacking spacing of approximately 3.45 A, 4-5 layers thick.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Fourier Analysis
  • Mathematics
  • Melanins / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Tyrosine
  • X-Rays

Substances

  • Melanins
  • eumelanin
  • Tyrosine