X-Message-Number: 13953
From: 
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 20:30:18 EDT
Subject: Freezing proteins..

 Greetings all  -- An interesting snippet from Enigmachat cryonics 
discussion..

>But why should the solids matter?  They could just melt again during
> >some reheating phase.  And I thought that things get more dense when
> >they freeze, and that water was an exception because it crystalized.
> >Am I missing something?
> >
> Biologically active molecuoles (proteins, &c.) can effectivly get
> permanently wacked if frozen...they can be VERY sensitive.

True.  If you force a protein into a different "state" you mess up how it
is folded, and when it thaws it won't necissarially fold back into the
shape it was before.  Some proteins are actively molded into the right
shape when they are being built...

............................................................

Dolphins don't have thumbs so they can't hold guns.

- Mike Donahue

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