| Citation | Distinguished for his fundamental contributions to our understanding of protein function especially through his studies of (i) lysozyme, (ii) a signal-transducing receptor protein, and (iii) a voltage-dependent membrane channel, the excitable sodium channel of the nerve axon. He has made major contributions towards the presently accepted evidence in turn on each of these very different systems. On lysozyme, he established chemically the catalysis by a carboniujm ion mechanism, in accordance with predictions from X-ray crystallography. He was the first to show the correct subunit structure of the acetylcholine receptor, as well as to show the homology between different sources and that the identified subunits constitute the complete physiological receptor. He provided important evidence on the linkage between transmitter binding and channel opening. For the voltage-dependent sodium channel he purified the single very large protein and characterized its properties and structure. He contributed the protein side of the landmark achievement of the DNA cloning and sequencing for this excitable membrane channel. |