Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang (29 November 1896 – 25 May 1959) was a Danish protein scientist, who was the director of the
Carlsberg Laboratory from 1939 until his death.
His most notable scientific contributions were the development of sundry physical techniques to study protein structure and function (especially
hydrogen–deuterium exchange), and his definitions of protein
primary,
secondary,
tertiary
Tertiary (from Latin, meaning 'third' or 'of the third degree/order..') may refer to:
* Tertiary period, an obsolete geologic period spanning from 66 to 2.6 million years ago
* Tertiary (chemistry), a term describing bonding patterns in organic ch ...
and
quaternary structure.
Linderstrøm-Lang devoted himself unstintingly to protein science and trained a whole generation of eminent protein scientists, Linderstrøm-Lang maintained a fun atmosphere in his laboratory and a happy spirit that expressed itself in wonderful
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
parties and frequent trips to the
Tivoli amusement park in Copenhagen. Linderstrøm-Lang was also a writer, musician and story-teller, and was active in the resistance movement against the
Nazi occupation of Denmark.
Research and career
Early work
Linderstrøm-Lang began as a physicist. Only a year after the publication of the
Debye–Hückel theory, Linderstrøm-Lang applied it to proteins and contributed in defining the term
isoionic point. In particular, he formally considered the ''ensemble'' of protonation states. Linderstrøm-Lang began in the Carlsberg laboratory under its second director
S. P. L. Sørensen
Søren Peter Lauritz Sørensen (9 January 1868 – 12 February 1939) was a Denmark, Danish chemist, known for the introduction of the concept of pH, a scale for measuring acidity and Base (chemistry), alkalinity.
Personal life
Sørensen wa ...
(who invented the
pH scale). 1949 volumetric studies showing that the interior of proteins has very few charges and, hence, is likely to be hydrophobic.
Innovative methods
Perhaps the most elegant method developed by Linderstrøm-Lang is the Cartesian diver for measuring density. A long tube containing oils of gradually increasing density was prepared. A droplet containing a protein mixture is introduced and falls until it reaches its density. Very small changes in the density of the droplet (e.g., those due to an ongoing enzymatic reaction) could be observed by movements of the droplet in the
density gradient.
Hydrogen-deuterium exchange
Kaj Ulrik Linderstrøm-Lang is considered the father of
hydrogen–deuterium exchange for protein analysis.
Contributions to protein structure and stability
Linderstrøm-Lang is justly famous for his organization of protein structure into four levels:
primary,
secondary,
tertiary
Tertiary (from Latin, meaning 'third' or 'of the third degree/order..') may refer to:
* Tertiary period, an obsolete geologic period spanning from 66 to 2.6 million years ago
* Tertiary (chemistry), a term describing bonding patterns in organic ch ...
and
quaternary structure. He did so in his Lane Medical Lectures, which were delivered at
Stanford University
Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...
on 2, 4, 8, 10 and 12 October 1951, and later published by Stanford University Press.
Contributions to other scientists
Linderstrøm-Lang contributed to the training of a whole generation of protein scientists, such as
Frederic M. Richards, H. A. Scheraga,
Christian B. Anfinsen, William F. Harrington, etc. He is also credited with the insight that the free energy of hydrophobic interactions does not depend only on energy (but also entropy), from his realization that mixing water and alcohol (which contains a hydrophobic methyl group) gives off heat.
Awards and honors
Linderstrøm-Lang was elected an International Member of the United States
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...
in 1947, an International Honorary Member of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and other ...
in 1950, an International Member of the
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...
in 1951,
and a
Foreign Member of the Royal Society (ForMemRS) in 1956.
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Linderstrom-Lang, Kaj Ulrik
1896 births
1959 deaths
Carlsberg Laboratory staff
Danish biochemists
Molecular biologists
Foreign members of the Royal Society
Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences
Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
International members of the American Philosophical Society