Study of double and triple simultaneous substitutions of amino acids in cytochromes C.

A statistical analysis aimed at obtaining some informations on a possible correlation between simultaneous amino acid substitutions is proposed. This method is applied to a set of cytochrome C, at the level of tandem and triple substitutions separated along the peptide chain by 1 to 15 peptide bonds. Monte-Carlo simulations are performed and the results are compared. We find a significant occurrence of three adjacent amino acid substitutions in which the first replacement requires a two nucleotide substitution. A possible explanation of this fact is proposed on the basis of covarions.

[Primary structure of the alpha chain of the major component of goose hemoglobins (Anser anser)]. / Structure primaire de la chaîne alpha du composant majeur de l'hémoglobine d'oie (Anser anser.)

Utilising the homology between goose alpha chain hemoglobin and chicken, the primary arrangement of the amino acid residues of the alpha chain (major component) of goose hemoglobin is presented. Data were obtained from amino acid analysis of the isolated alpha chain and of tryptic peptides of the chain. Their chemical structure was established by Edman degradation, carboxypeptidase A and B and leucineaminopeptidase digestion.