ISSN:
0887-3585
Keywords:
cold unfolding
;
protein folding
;
heat capacity change
;
fluorescence
;
circular dichroism
;
size exclusion chromatography
;
Chemistry
;
Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Fluorescence and circular dichroism data as a function of temperature were obtained to characterize the unfolding of nuclease A and two of its less stable mutants. These spectroscopic data were obtained with a modified instrument that enables the nearly simultaneous detection of both fluorescence and CD data on the same sample. A global analysis of these multiple datasets yielded an excellent fit of a model that includes a change in the heat capacity change, ΔCp, between the unfolded and native states. This analysis gives a ΔCp of 2.2 kcal/mol/·K for thermal unfolding of the WT protein and 1.3 and 1.8 kcal/mol/K for the two mutants. These ΔCp values are consistent with significant population of the cold unfolded state at ∼0°C. Independent evidence for the existence of a cold unfolded state is the observation of a separately migrating peak in size exclusion chromatography. The new chromatographic peak is seen near 0°C, has a partition coefficient corresponding to a larger hydrodynamic radius, and shows a red-shifted fluorescence spectrum, as compared to the native protein. Data also indicate that the high-temperature unfolded form of mutant nuclease is relatively compact. Size exclusion chromatography shows the high temperature unfolded form to have a hydrodynamic radius that is larger than that for the native form, but smaller than that for the urea or pH-induced unfolded forms. Addition of chemical denaturants to the high-temperature unfolded form causes a further unfolding of the protein, as indicated by an increase in the apparent hydrodynamic radius and a decrease in the rotational correlation time for Trp140 (as determined by fluorescence anisotropy decay measurements). Proteins 28:227-240, 1997 © 1997 Wiley-Liss Inc.
Additional Material:
9 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
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