Structural conversions of crystallins under senile cataract, dehydration and UV-irradiation studied by X-ray diffraction.

By means of X-ray diffraction analysis, structural conversions of crystallins in human lens were detected in senile cataract and upon artificial dehydration of lens tissue. In senile cataract certain characteristics of the native three-dimensional structure of gamma- and beta-crystallins are completely lost, whereas during dehydration of lens tissue a small but significant contraction of these protein molecules takes place. Upon artificial UV-irradiation of bovine crystallins destructive changes are observed, which are very similar to those in cataract.