Functional assessment of B Functional assessment of B. taurus α crystallin after 1 h incubation at 60°C in the presence of D. mawsoni γ crystallin. Functional assessment of B. taurus α crystallin after 1 h incubation at 60°C in the presence of D. mawsoni γ crystallin. (A) Experimental Δ mg B. taurus α crystallin + 1 mg D. mawsoni γ crystallin (×) and control reaction of Δ mg B. taurus α crystallin + 1 mg B. taurusγ crystallin (×). After 1 hsamples were removed from the cuvette and any precipitate was removed by centrifugation at 21 000 g at 4°C in a benchtop microcentrifuge. (B) Supernatants (∼750 μl) were then transferred to a new cuvette and a further 1 mg of B. taurus γ crystallin was added. B. taurus γ crystallin was concentrated such that the total volume in the second assay (after addition of the B. taurus γ crystallin) was not greater than 1 ml. Final composition of assay was (B. taurus α + D. mawsoni γ) supernatant + B. taurus γ crystallin (×) for the experimental and (B. taurus α + B. taurus γ) supernatant + B. taurus γ crystallin (×). Second assay incubation was for 1 h at 60°C. Andor J. Kiss et al. J Exp Biol 2004;207:4633-4649 © The Company of Biologists Limited 2004