A brief account on the study of the insulin crystal structure
A brief account on the study of the insulin crystal structure
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DOI：
10.1007/s11427-010-0019-2
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发表时间：
2010-02
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Da-cheng Wang;X. Gu
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Da-cheng Wang;X. Gu
大约40年前，当中国正处于非常困难的时期时，《中国科学》（原名《中国科学》）连续三年发表文章，（《科学》（测试版）1972;《科学》1973，第1期，93;《科学》16（1973）136; Scientia Sinica 17（1974）51）分别在4.0 nm、2.50 nm和1.80 nm分辨率下对菱形2-锌猪胰岛素分子进行晶体结构分析（图1和2）。这些出版物提供了罕见的中国科学研究信息，在文化大革命的高潮，否则是封闭的外部世界。这一消息产生了国际影响，因为这是亚洲第一个解决的蛋白质晶体结构，也是世界上少数几个解决的罕见结构之一;它预示着中国开始了密集的生物物理研究。牛津大学的诺贝尔奖获得者多萝西·霍奇金（Dorothy Hodgkin）于1972年前往物理研究所访问北京胰岛素结构研究组（图3）。在那里，她花了一个星期的时间对牛津和北京实验室的电子密度图进行了详细的比较，并与该研究所的年轻中国科学家进行了广泛的会面。后来，在京都举行的第九届国际晶体学会议上，她讲述了她访问的故事，说：“那里的标准与其他地方一样高。”她在《自然》（Nature，1975，255：103）上发表的一篇题为“新闻与观点”的文章中的评论进一步给国际晶体学家留下了深刻的印象，她说：“目前1.80 μ m分辨率的Peking图是由实验、同晶相位角定义的胰岛素电子密度的最准确的图.此外，大坂大学著名的日本晶体学家渡边教授写信给北京的研究所，要求翻译这篇2.50年代的文章，以便在日本期刊上发表。许多世界著名实验室的科学家也纷纷前来参观，在《中国科学》杂志发表的文章背后，隐藏着一个年轻科学家们在许多艰难岁月里扎实工作、不知疲倦的奉献精神、勇气和集体智慧的故事（图4和图5）。2010年是该杂志创刊60周年，似乎是一个非常适当的机会，可以简要回顾这一经历，不仅向该小组的所有成员致敬，而且向该杂志表示感谢。
Approximately forty years ago when China was undergoing a period of great difficulty, Science in China, previously known as Scientia Sinica, published articles during three consecutive years (Scientia Sinica (test issue) 1972; Scientia Sinica 1973, No. 1, 93; Scientia Sinica 16 (1973) 136; Scientia Sinica 17 (1974) 51) on crystal structure analysis of the rhombohedral 2-zinc pork insulin molecule at resolutions of 4.0 Å, 2.50 Å and 1.80 Å, respectively (Figures 1 and 2). These publications delivered rare information on scientific research from a China which, at the height of the Cultural Revolution, was otherwise closed to the outside world. The news made international impact because this was the first protein crystal structure solved in Asia and one of the few rare structures solved worldwide; it heralded the start of intensive biophysical research in China. Nobel Laureate Dorothy Hodgkin of Oxford University traveled to the Institute of Physics in 1972 to visit the Beijing Insulin Structure Research Group (Figure 3). There, she spent one week carrying out a detailed comparison of electron density maps from the Oxford and Beijing labs and met extensively with the Institute’s young Chinese scientists. Later, at the 9th International Conference of Crystallography in Kyoto, she told the story of her visit stating that,“standards there [were] as high as achieved elsewhere.” She further impressed international crystallographers with her comments in a “News and Views” article in Nature (Nature, 1975, 255: 103) that “the present Peking map at 1.80 Å resolution is the most accurate map available of the insulin electron density defined by experimental, isomorphous phase angles… and may well remain so.” Additionally, Professor Watanabe, the famous Japanese crystallographer at Osaka University, wrote to the Institute in Beijing seeking permission to translate the 2.50 Å article for publication in Japanese journals. Many other scientists of world famous laboratories also poured in to visit.Behind the articles published by Science in China lay a hidden story of dedication, courage and collective wisdom and expertise of intelligent young scientists who worked solidly and tirelessly over many difficult years (Figures 4 and 5). The year 2010 hails the 60th anniversary of this journal and seems to be an exceptionally appropriate opportunity for making a brief recollection of that experience, not only to pay tribute to all the members of the group but also to show gratitude to the journal.