Structures with Parallel Tunnels

Figure Bl.4.9. Top rotation-tunnelling hyperfine structure in one of the flipping inodes of (020)3 near 3 THz. The small splittings seen in the Q-branch transitions are induced by the bound-free hydrogen atom tiiimelling by the water monomers. Bottom the low-frequency torsional mode structure of the water duner spectrum, includmg a detailed comparison of theoretical calculations of the dynamics with those observed experimentally [ ]. The symbols next to the arrows depict the parallel (A k= 0) versus perpendicular (A = 1) nature of the selection rules in the pseudorotation manifold.

In the crystal structure of these phases with tetragonal symmetry (P4/mbm, D h) the boron covalent sublattice is formed by chains of octahedra, developing along the c axis and by pairs of B atoms, bonding the octahedra in the xOy plane (see Fig. 1). The resulting three-dimensional skeleton contains tunnels parallel to the c axis that are filled by metal atoms . ... 

Very recently 13 the three dimensional structure of the CBH II core was fully determined by X-ray diffraction. The polypeptide chain is folded in a-helices and B-strands (a,B-protein with a central B-barrel built up by seven parallel strands. Six of the )3-strands are linked by a-helices. Near the C-terminus of the enzyme is a tunnel with dimensions well suited to take up a single cellulose chain. Two aspartic acid residues (175 and 221) are probably involved in the active center. 

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