The amino acid compositions of three fractions from oxidized wool

Abstract

An Australian Merino 64s quality wool was oxidized with peracetic acid and its amino acid composition determined. The analysis is in excellent agreement with that of virgin wool (Corfield Robson, 1955), except that cystine is converted into cysteic acid and that small losses of histidine, tyrosine and phenylalanine occurred during oxidation. Alpha-, beta- and gamma-keratoses were prepared from oxidized wool and their amino acid compositions determined. Only 75% of the total sulfur of oxidized wool and of the 3 keratoses could be accounted for by their respective cysteic acid contents. The total N and total S of the 3 keratoses were compared with the amounts determined by other workers. For total S the agreement is not good.