APPLICATION OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION TO SMALL-ANGLE X-RAY ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL OBJECTS.

In this paper the general principle of biological motion is formulated from the analysis of structural features of motive systems. X-ray diffraction analysis with a high time resolution has been used to study the time course of intensity of the 143 A meridional reflection and of equatorial reflections 10 and 11 during single contraction of the frog sartorius muscle. Different types of contraction have been studied: isometric, isotonic, contraction initiated by pairwise stimulation and isometric contraction with a quick release. The results obtained allowed us to reach some conclusions on a change of configuration of myosin cross-bridges and the related development of force upon contraction.