Abstract
1. 1.|The birefringences of the muscle proteins actin and myosin were determined and compared with data on other fibrous proteins. 2. 2.|The specific birefringence Δn sp = Δn/f vc is the birefringences per unit volume fraction of a parallel array of rod-like molecules. Δn is the measured birefringence of partially oriented molecules, f is the orientation factor of Peterlin-Stuart 8, v is partial specific volume and c is the concentration in g/cc. All available data on the specific birefringences of fibrous proteins and polypeptides extrapolated to the refractive index of water falls in the range (1.7 ± 0.3) × 10 −2. 3. 3.|Since a proper theory of birefringence of rod-like structures is not available it is proposed that an empirical equation be used to interpret birefringence measurements, Δn = (1.7 ± 3) · 10 −2 vc . The birefringence of muscle is in reasonably good agreement with the value predicted by this equation while the Wiener theory is in error by a factor of 6.
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