Observations on the molecular weight and chemical composition of nisin A

Abstract

Nisin A has been purified and analyzed for amino acids. Its diffusion coefficient has been determined. The agreement between the molecular weight of nisin calculated from the proporation of various amino acids in the hydrolysate indicates that the molecule is approximately spherical in acid solution and that its weight is about 7000 No amino or carboxyl end groups could be found, save the [epsilon]-group of lysine and the imino group of histidine. From the analysis of partial hydrolysates a few possible amino acid sequences have been determined.