scholarly journals Conformational changes in gastric mucoproteins induced by caesium chloride and guanidinium chloride

1974 ◽  
Vol 141 (3) ◽  
pp. 641-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Snary ◽  
Adrian Allen ◽  
Roger H. Pain
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Sedimentation Coefficient ◽  
Water Structure ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Native Conformation ◽  
Guanidinium Chloride ◽  
Gastric Mucus ◽  
Caesium Chloride ◽  
Low Concentrations

1. Caesium chloride and guanidinium chloride were shown to cause conformational changes in the high-molecular-weight mucoprotein A of water-soluble gastric mucus with no change in molecular weight. 2. Increasing concentrations of CsCl decrease the viscosity of the mucoprotein bringing about a transition which is essentially complete in 0.1m-CsCl. The shear-dependence of viscosity of the mucoprotein is abolished by low concentrations of CsCl. The normally highly expanded molecule becomes contracted in CsCl to a molecule having the same symmetry but a smaller volume and decreased solvation, in keeping with an increased sedimentation coefficient (18.7S→33S). 3. This contracted form does not revert to the native conformation on removal of the CsCl. 4. A mechanism is discussed in terms of the effect of the Cs+and Cl−ions on water structure and the water–mucoprotein interaction. 5. Guanidinium chloride causes the CsCl-treated material to expand, in keeping with a decrease in s025,w (33S→26S). This is analogous to the known unfolding effect of guanidinium chloride on proteins and suggests that guanidinium chloride solubilizes groups involved in stabilizing the contracted structure. Removal of the guanidinium chloride results in a limited aggregation of four mucoprotein molecules. 6. These results show that caution must be exercised before interpreting the physical properties of mucoproteins which have been treated with CsCl and/or guanidinium chloride.

scholarly journals Comparison of the activity and conformation changes of lactate dehydrogenase H4 during denaturation by guanidinium chloride

1991 ◽  
Vol 277 (1) ◽  
pp. 207-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Z Ma ◽  
C L Tsou
Keyword(s):  
Lactate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Native Conformation ◽  
Guanidinium Chloride ◽  
Original Activity ◽  
Limited Region ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Inhibited Enzyme

The inactivation and unfolding of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) during denaturation by guanidinium chloride (GuHCl) under diverse conditions have been compared. Unfolding of the native conformation, as monitored by fluorescence and c.d. measurements, occurs in two stages with increasing GuHCl concentrations, and the inactivation approximately coincides with, but slightly precedes, the first stage of unfolding. The enzyme is inhibited to about 60-70% of its original activity by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde or in the presence of 1 M-(NH4)2SO4, with its conformation stabilized as shown by the requirement for higher GuHCl concentrations to bring about both inactivation and unfolding. Low concentrations of GuHCl (0.2-0.4 M) activate the cross-linked and the (NH4)2SO4-inhibited enzyme back to the level of the native enzyme. For the enzyme stabilized by (NH4)2SO4 or by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde, inactivation occurs at a markedly lower GuHCl concentration than that required to bring about its first stage of unfolding. It is concluded that the active site of LDH is situated in a limited region relatively fragile in conformation as compared with the molecule as a whole. The GuHCl activation of LDH stabilized in (NH4)2SO4 or by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde suggests that this fragility and consequently flexibility of the active site is required for its catalytic activity.

scholarly journals Conformational changes at the active site of creatine kinase at low concentrations of guanidinium chloride

1993 ◽  
Vol 291 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
H M Zhou ◽  
X H Zhang ◽  
Y Yin ◽  
C L Tsou
Keyword(s):  
Creatine Kinase ◽  
Fluorescent Probe ◽  
Conformational Change ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Emission Intensity ◽  
Enzyme Inactivation ◽  
Amino Groups ◽  
Guanidinium Chloride ◽  
Low Concentrations

It has been previously reported that, during denaturation of creatine kinase by guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) or urea [Tsou (1986), Trends Biochem. Sci. 11, 427-429], inactivation occurs before noticeable conformational change can be detected, and it is suggested that the conformation at the active site is more easily perturbed and hence more flexible than the molecule as a whole. In this study, the thiol and amino groups at or near the active site of creatine kinase are labelled with o-phthalaldehyde to form a fluorescent probe. Both the emission intensity and anisotropy decrease during denaturation indicating exposure of this probe and increased mobility of the active site. The above conformational changes take place together with enzyme inactivation at lower GdmCl concentrations than required to bring about intrinsic fluorescence changes of the enzyme. At the same GdmCl concentration, the rate of exposure of the probe is comparable with that of inactivation and is several orders of magnitude faster than that for the unfolding of the molecule as a whole.

scholarly journals The mechanism of folding of globular proteins. Suitability of a penicillinase from Staphylococcus Aureus as a model for refolding studies

1976 ◽  
Vol 155 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Robson ◽  
R H. Pain
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Enzymic Activity ◽  
Optical Rotatory Dispersion ◽  
Native Conformation ◽  
Guanidinium Chloride ◽  
Tyrosine Residues ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Unfolded State ◽  
Solvent Molecules ◽  
Homogeneous Preparation

1. A homogeneous preparation of penicillinase (penicillin amido-β-lactamhydrolase, EC 3.5.2.6) was isolated and purified from cultures of Staphylococcus aureus by a simple two-stage procedure. 2. The native protein contains 20-30% helix as determined by optical-rotatory-dispersion and circular-dichroism measurements. Some 54(+/-5)% of the 13 tyrosine residues are exposed to solvent molecules of diameter 0.44 and 0.94 nm. 3. Conditions that allow full recovery of enzymic activity and native conformation from the fully unfolded state in 4M-guanidinium chloride were defined. 4. Refolding of the protein was shown to be inhibited by intermolecular interaction, by small changes in ionization and by low concentrations (0.025 M) of phenol.

scholarly journals Inactivation during denaturation of ribonuclease A by guanidinium chloride is accompanied by unfolding at the active site

1995 ◽  
Vol 305 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
H J Yang ◽  
C L Tsou
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Ribonuclease A ◽  
Proteinase K ◽  
Peptide Fragments ◽  
Terminal Sequence ◽  
Guanidinium Chloride ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Partial Unfolding ◽  
Absorption Measurements

Inactivation of pancreatic RNAase A occurs in guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) at low concentrations before the unfolding of the molecule as a whole can be detected [Liu and Tsou (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 916, 455-464]. We have now shown that the rate of digestion of the RNAase molecule by either trypsin or proteinase K increases significantly at low concentrations of GdmCl where the enzyme is largely inactivated, but fluorescence and absorption measurements reveal no conformational changes. N-Terminal sequence analysis of the peptide fragments generated shows that proteolysis occurs primarily at or near the active site. The decrease in activity of RNAase at low concentrations of GdmCl is therefore due to partial unfolding of the molecule, particularly at the active site and not to an inhibition by the denaturant.

scholarly journals Molecular weights of the Thy-1 glycoproteins from rat thymus and brain in the presence and absence of deoxycholate

1978 ◽  
Vol 169 (2) ◽  
pp. 411-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
P W Kuchel ◽  
D G Campbell ◽  
A N Barclay ◽  
A F Williams
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Equilibrium Dialysis ◽  
Sedimentation Coefficient ◽  
Sedimentation Equilibrium ◽  
Membrane Glycoproteins ◽  
Guanidinium Chloride ◽  
Molecular Weights ◽  
Methionine Residue ◽  
Disulphide Bonds ◽  
Binding Data

1. The Thy-1 membrane glycoproteins from rat thymus and brain bound deoxycholate to 24% of their own weight as measured by equilibrium dialysis. The binding occurred co-operatively at the critical micelle concentration of deoxycholate, suggesting that the glycoproteins bind to a micelle, and not to the detergent monomer. 2. From sedimentation-equilibrium and deoxycholate-binding data the molecular weights of the glycoprotein monomers were calculated to be 18700 and 17500 for thymus and brain Thy-1 glycoprotein monomers were calculated to be 18700 and 17500 for thymus and brain Thy-1 glycoproteins respectively. The molecular weight of the polypeptide part of the glycoprotein is thus 12500. 3. In the absence of deoxycholate, brain or thymus Thy-1 glycoprotein formed large homogeneous complexes of mol. wt. 270000 or 300000 respectively. The sedimentation coefficient of these was 12.8 S. The complex was only partially dissociated by 4M-guanidinium chloride. 4. After cleavage of brain or thymus Thy-1 glycoprotein with CNBr, two peptides were clearly identified. They were linked by disulphide bonds and both contained carbohydrate. This cleavage suggests there is only one methionine residue per molecule, which is consistent with the above molecular weights and the known amino acid composition.

scholarly journals Studies on ram acrosin. Isolation from spermatozoa, activation by cations and organic solvents, and influence of cations on its reaction with inhibitors

1975 ◽  
Vol 149 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin R. Brown ◽  
Zarina Andani ◽  
Edward F. Hartree
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Dimethyl Sulphoxide ◽  
Soluble Form ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Acrosomal Membrane ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Kunitz Inhibitor ◽  
Pancreatic Trypsin Inhibitor ◽  
Acrosin Activity

1. A simple method is given for isolating from ram spermatozoa a water-soluble form of acrosin (a trypsin-like enzyme) which is about 25% pure. It is free from an acrosin inhibitor which is located in the spermatozoa. 2. In the hydrolysis of N-α-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester the degree of activation of acrosin by Ca2+, and by some other cations, is dependent on the extent of contamination by the inhibitor. In 50mm-Tris–HCl buffer (pH8.2) activation by Ca2+ did not exceed 40%, but acrosin that is partially inhibited may be activated by up to 300%: this is due to cation-mediated protection of acrosin against the inhibitor. 3. Increasing concentrations of buffers (e.g. Tris) also activate acrosin but at above certain buffer concentrations Ca2+ no longer exerts an activating effect and may become inhibitory. Ca2+ is also inhibitory when added to assay systems involving anionic buffers with chelating properties. This is due to a fall in pH. 4. The above results suggest reasons for conflicting conclusions in papers dealing with the effects of Ca2+ on acrosin activity. 5. Inhibition of acrosin by the Kunitz pancreatic trypsin inhibitor is increased on addition of Ca2+. Inhibitions of trypsin by the acrosin inhibitor and by the Kunitz inhibitor are insensitive to Ca2+. 6. Like trypsin, acrosin is activated, up to 60%, by 2-methyl-propan-2-ol, dimethyl sulphoxide, and some other water-miscible solvents. Effects of cations and solvents tend to be additive and a common maximum acrosin activity can be achieved with various concentrations of solvent, salts and buffer in the assay system. Activation by solvents is increased when low concentrations of the acrosin inhibitor are present. 7. Activations of acrosin by salts and by solvents are more pronounced when the substrate is N-α-benzoyl-dl-arginine 2-naphthylamide. 8. Km values for ram acrosin (about 0.2mm) are much higher than those for trypsin, and kcat. values are slightly higher than those for trypsin. Considerations of the influences of ions and dimethyl sulphoxide on the activities and kinetic constants of acrosin and trypsin suggest that conformational changes are the factors mainly responsible for the reported activations of acrosin. 9. The following conclusions are reached. (a) Acrosin plays a role in the penetration of the sperm cell into the egg without becoming detached from the acrosomal membrane. (b) The enzyme is a peripheral membrane protein which may be classed as a cathepsin. (c) The susceptibility of the activity of soluble acrosin to cations and solvents points to a flexible molecule, i.e. one lacking conformational restraints imposed by association (presumably ionic) with the acrosomal membrane.

scholarly journals Haemoglobin from the tadpole shrimp, Lepidurus apus lubbocki Characterization of the molecule and determination of the number of polypeptide chains

1979 ◽  
Vol 183 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Ilan ◽  
E Daniel
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Sedimentation Coefficient ◽  
Sedimentation Equilibrium ◽  
Guanidinium Chloride ◽  
Tadpole Shrimp ◽  
Polypeptide Chains

Haemoglobin from the tadpole shrimp, Lepidurus apus lubbocki, was found to have a sedimentation coefficient (s020,w) of 19.3 +/- 0.2 S and a molecular weight, as determined by sedimentation equilibrium, of 798000 +/- 20000. The amino acid composition showed the lack of cysteine and cystine residues. A haem content of 3.55 +/- 0.03% was determined, corresponding to a minimal mol.wt. of 17400 +/- 200. The pH-independence in the range pH 5-11 of the sedimentation coefficient indicates a relatively high stability of the native molecule. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis gave one band with mobility corresponding to a mol.wt. of 34000 +/- 1500. The molecular weight of the polypeptide chain was determined to be 32800 +/- 800 by sedimentation equilibrium in 6 M-guanidinium chloride and 0.1 M-2-mercaptoethanol. The findings indicate that Lepidurus haemoglobin is composed of 24 identical polypeptide chains, carrying two haem groups each.

scholarly journals Studies of the denaturation and partial renaturation of ovalbumin

1972 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Holt ◽  
J. M. Creeth
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Sedimentation Coefficient ◽  
Optical Rotatory Dispersion ◽  
Rotatory Dispersion ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Optical Rotatory ◽  
Guanidinium Chloride ◽  
Dispersion Parameters ◽  
Low Concentrations

1. The denaturation of ovalbumin by the reagents sodium dodecyl sulphate and guanidinium chloride was investigated, by following the changes in sedimentation velocity, optical rotatory dispersion and viscosity as a function of denaturant concentration. 2. With sodium dodecyl sulphate both the optical-rotatory-dispersion parameters a0 and b0 become more negative, the sedimentation coefficient decreases and the viscosity increases; significant differences in the denaturation profiles are observed. The change in each parameter is indicative of only limited denaturation. 3. With guanidinium chloride the transition occurs over the concentration range 1–4m: more extensive changes occur in all the physical parameters than with sodium dodecyl sulphate. The values of a0 and b0 are indicative of complete denaturation. Reduction by mercaptoethanol produces only minor further changes. 4. Renaturation was attempted from both denaturants, the removal of reagent being accomplished reversibly by controlled slow dialysis. Partial renaturation was observed, but aggregated or insoluble material was produced in both cases at relatively low concentrations of denaturant. Similar behaviour was observed with fully reduced protein in guanidinium chloride–mercaptoethanol; complete renaturation could not be brought about even at very low protein concentrations.

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