Gopinath Kartha
Encyclopedia
Gopinath Kartha was a prominent crystallographer
of Indian origin. He is notably known for the determination of the molecular structure of the enzyme ribonuclease
in 1967. This was the first protein
structure elucidated and published in the United States
.
Gopinath Kartha was born in Cherthala
, near Alappuzha
in the state of Kerala
, India
. He went to school at Sanathanadharma Vidya Sala in Alappuzha. His undergraduate diploma in Math, Physics, and Chemistry was from University College, Thiruvananthapuram(Trivandrum). He obtained his B.Sc in Physics in 1950 from the University of Madras
, Chennai
, Tamil Nadu
, India
. He obtained another B.Sc in Mathematics from Andhra University
in Visakhapatnam
in 1951.
He began his graduate studies in 1952 at the Indian Institute of Science
in Bangalore
but followed his advisor G.N. Ramachandran back to the University of Madras. As a graduate student, he and Ramachandran worked on the triple helix
structure of the collagen
molecule. After completing his PhD in 1955, he worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai from 1955 to 1956. He did post-doctoral work at the Cavendish Laboratory
in 1956 and then at the National Research Council of Canada
from 1957 to 1958.
In 1959, he moved to the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute to work with Dr. David Harker and Dr. Jake Bello.
Later that year, the entire Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute's crystallography group moved to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute
in Buffalo, New York
. He stayed at Roswell Park until the end of his life. In 1972 he spent eight months as a visiting professor of biophysics at Kyoto University.
The collagen structure proposed by Ramachandran and Kartha was disputed by Francis Crick
initially and in fact, their paper to the London-based Nature
magazine was not published for five months while Crick's proposal for the collagen structure was published within a month of submission. However, their proposed structure was accepted subsequently.
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
of Indian origin. He is notably known for the determination of the molecular structure of the enzyme ribonuclease
Ribonuclease
Ribonuclease is a type of nuclease that catalyzes the degradation of RNA into smaller components. Ribonucleases can be divided into endoribonucleases and exoribonucleases, and comprise several sub-classes within the EC 2.7 and 3.1 classes of enzymes.-Function:All organisms studied contain...
in 1967. This was the first protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
structure elucidated and published in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Gopinath Kartha was born in Cherthala
Cherthala
Cherthala is a town located in the district of Alappuzha, in the state of Kerala, India. It is located 30 km south of the city of Kochi and 22 km north of Alappuzha town, on the Kochi-Alappuzha streatch of both the National Highway 47 as well as the costal Rail-route.lt is 85 km from the...
, near Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He went to school at Sanathanadharma Vidya Sala in Alappuzha. His undergraduate diploma in Math, Physics, and Chemistry was from University College, Thiruvananthapuram(Trivandrum). He obtained his B.Sc in Physics in 1950 from the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He obtained another B.Sc in Mathematics from Andhra University
Andhra University
Andhra University or Andhra Viswa Kala Parishad , located in Visakhapatnam, north east coastal Andhra Pradesh, is one of the older premier universities in India with a broad focus...
in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
in 1951.
He began his graduate studies in 1952 at the Indian Institute of Science
Indian Institute of Science
Indian Institute of Science is a research institution of higher learning located in Bangalore, India. It was established in 1909.-History:After a chance meeting between Jamsetji N...
in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
but followed his advisor G.N. Ramachandran back to the University of Madras. As a graduate student, he and Ramachandran worked on the triple helix
Triple helix
In geometry, a triple helix is a set of three congruent geometrical helices with the same axis, differing by a translation along the axis. Structures in the form of a triple helix include:* collagen helix...
structure of the collagen
Collagen
Collagen is a group of naturally occurring proteins found in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals. It is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content...
molecule. After completing his PhD in 1955, he worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai from 1955 to 1956. He did post-doctoral work at the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
in 1956 and then at the National Research Council of Canada
National Research Council of Canada
The National Research Council is an agency of the Government of Canada which conducts scientific research and development.- History :...
from 1957 to 1958.
In 1959, he moved to the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute to work with Dr. David Harker and Dr. Jake Bello.
Later that year, the entire Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute's crystallography group moved to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
The Roswell Park Cancer Institute is a comprehensive cancer research and treatment center located in Buffalo, New York. Founded in 1898 by Dr. Roswell Park, it was the first dedicated medical facility for cancer treatment and research in the United States. The facility is involved in drug...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. He stayed at Roswell Park until the end of his life. In 1972 he spent eight months as a visiting professor of biophysics at Kyoto University.
The collagen structure proposed by Ramachandran and Kartha was disputed by Francis Crick
Francis Crick
Francis Harry Compton Crick OM FRS was an English molecular biologist, biophysicist, and neuroscientist, and most noted for being one of two co-discoverers of the structure of the DNA molecule in 1953, together with James D. Watson...
initially and in fact, their paper to the London-based Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
magazine was not published for five months while Crick's proposal for the collagen structure was published within a month of submission. However, their proposed structure was accepted subsequently.