Laser Raman studies of protein conformation in the silkmoth chorion.

Laser Raman spectroscopy reveals extensive 13-pleated sheet structure in a silkmoth chorion. This structure characterizes both developing and mature chorion samples, a-helical structure is much less evident, but /]-turns appear to be abundant. In the immature chorion the sulfhyd~'ls are apparently found in diverse environments. The highly localized ffrosine residues appear to be strongly hydrogen-bonded in a hydrophobic environment.