AUC - Past & Present

Stephen Harding

Thé Svedberg 1884-1971

Svedberg oil-turbine ultracentrifuge

“Evolution” of the AUC

Numbers of papers in the Biochemical Journal, per annum

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2002

1920’s:

“ Thé: I see a new dawn!

”

• Svedberg & Nichols: oil turbine u/c • Optical system • Rinde: sector shape cell • Hemoglobin - Svedberg & Fåhraeus

1926: 1 st AUC paper on sedimentation equilibrium

1930’s: “Proteins are molecules”

• Philpott/Svensson

Schlieren optics

• Proteins as molecules • Concept of subunits • Perrin: Frictional ratio

calculations and shapes of molecules: TMV

1930’s: “Proteins are molecules”

• Philpott/Svensson

Schlieren optics

• Proteins as molecules • Concept of subunits • Perrin: Frictional ratio

calculations and shapes of molecules: TMV

1930’s: “Proteins are molecules”

• Philpott/Svensson

Schlieren optics

• Proteins as molecules • Concept of subunits • Perrin: Frictional ratio

calculations and shapes of molecules: TMV

1948: Discovery of electricity is taken into account Spinco Model E (Pickels)

Beckman Model E (Pickels)

1948: Analysis of Mixtures

A.G. “Sandy” Ogston

“Evolution” of the AUC

Numbers of papers in the Biochemical Journal

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2002

Williams van Holde Yphantis Schachman

“Evolution” of the AUC

Numbers of papers in the Biochemical Journal

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2002

1980’s: “

Take our advice and switch to more useful techniques like NMR”

• “Advice” from the

Biochemical Journal

• Garcia de la Torre: bead

models

• National Centres in the

USA and UK

• 1989 – news of another

“new dawn”

April 1991