Circular Dichroism and disordered proteins - (Jan/10/2011 )

Hi,

I have never done any CD and only have a vague idea of how it works, but in my PhD thesis (which is due in at the end of the month!!!!) I mention that the protein I work with is intrinsically disordered, some of the evidence being a CD minimum at 200 nm. I've tried searching for explanations for why a minimum at 200 nm means disorder but find that most guides to CD are inpenetrable for non-experts!! I assume that unfolded polypeptides don't absorb well at 200 nm but why??

If I am asked about this in my viva I'm not sure what to say - any ideas??

Thanks,
P

i have never done CD... but of wat i have read many articles and tutorials suggeest that getting a value at 200 nm is anyways difficult because of the buffers used in the assay...