圆二色光谱分析蛋白质构象的方法及研究进展

介绍了远紫外圆二色光谱数据计算蛋白质二级结构,辨认蛋白质三级结构类型的原理、拟合方法、实验技术。对近紫外圆二色作为光谱探针,研究蛋白质中芳香氨基酸残基、二硫键微环境的变化作了简单介绍。     

伴大豆球蛋白亚基色谱分离和制备及结构表征

研究了色谱方法对伴大豆球蛋白组成3个亚基的分离纯化工艺条件,并利用圆二色光谱对纯化得到的3个亚基的二级结构和三级结构进行了表征.结果显示:利用离子交换色谱(DEAE-sepharose fast flow, DEAE为二乙氨乙基)和金属螯合层析(Immobilized metal affinity column, IMAC)相结合的方法,能将3个亚基组分完全分开,得到了能制备相对大量的3个亚基α′, α和β的稳定工艺,纯度为95%,回收率达75%.远紫外CD结果显示,在3个亚基的二级结构中, α螺旋较少,但都具有较高含量的β折叠和无规卷曲; 近紫外CD结果显示, 3个亚基在制备过程中因为尿素的变性作用,都已经散失了三级结构.     

Hg^2＋ -牛血清白蛋白复合体系中蛋白质微观结构的研究

研究了Hg2+在生物体内与牛血清白蛋白相互作用的毒性机理以及蛋白质的微观结构变化.测定了Hg2+与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)复合体系的红外光谱(FT-IR)和圆二色谱(CD),并对图谱进行拟合解析处理.红外光谱实验数据表明Hg2+与BSA发生作用的结合位点可能包括-SH、-OH和-NH基团,采用红外拟合技术对BSA二级结构的变化进行了研究,结果表明蛋白质α-螺旋结构含量降低,β-折叠结构含量升高.圆二色谱图也表明由于一定浓度的Hg2+与BSA结合,从而导致蛋白质的二级结构被破坏,这与拟合红外光谱得到的蛋白质二级结构数据相吻合.Hg2+与牛血清蛋白作用致使蛋白质的构象改变,形成金属离子与蛋白质作用的复合物,因而蛋白质失去活性导致生物体发生病变.     

一个烟草花叶病毒株的圆二色性和紫外照射诱发的结构变化

本文证明在pH 5—10.8的范围里,CCGCV的生理盐水溶液呈相同的CD谱。溶液中不同盐浓度对此病毒的CD谱没有明显影响。也测定了此病毒的游离外壳蛋白质和游离核酸的CD谱。实验结果说明CCGCV的远紫外CD谱几乎完全由蛋白质组份贡献。近紫外CD谱可能说明病毒颗粒内RNA和蛋白质问有很强的相互作用。在234或221毫微米光照下,pH 3.1—4.8时的CCGCV生理盐水溶液在相应波长处的椭圆值呈现一种不寻常的变化。光照后的病毒的CD谱在231—230毫微米和205毫微米附近各呈现一个强正峰。讨论了产生此种现象的机制。     

Pb~(2+)-牛血清白蛋白复合体系中蛋白质二级结构的研究

采用紫外光谱、红外光谱和圆二色谱法研究了Pb2+与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)之间的相互作用和蛋白质微观结构的变化。紫外光谱表明,Pb2+与BSA肽链上的CO存在相互作用,并使蛋白质疏水结构的微环境发生变化;红外光谱研究表明,Pb2+与BSA结合位点可能为—OH和—NH基团,利用二阶导、退卷积和谱线拟合技术对蛋白质红外谱图的酰胺Ⅰ带进行处理推测蛋白质二级结构的变化,结果表明蛋白质α螺旋和β折叠二级结构含量降低,β转角二级结构含量增加;圆二色谱(CD)也表明Pb2+与BSA的结合使蛋白质的构象发生了改变。     

汞(II)与牛血红蛋白相互作用的研究

本文采用紫外光谱(UV/VIS)、荧光光谱和圆二色谱等方法,对汞(II)与牛血红蛋白(BHb)的相互作用进行了研究。结果表明:Hg2 处理导致BHb紫外吸收的增加,出现LMCT带,并随Hg2 浓度的增加LMCT带强度显著增强。BHb分子中Soret带的吸收随着Hg2 作用时间的增加而持续降低,表明Hg2 使部分血红素辅基从BHb中脱离出来。蛋白内源荧光光谱显示,Hg2 与BHb的结合会影响蛋白质的三级结构和四级结构。远紫外圆二色谱表明,Hg2 处理会导致BHb蛋白的α-螺旋含量减少。     

汞(Ⅱ)与牛血红蛋白相互作用的研究

本文采用紫外光谱(UV/VIS)、荧光光谱和圆二色谱等方法,对汞(Ⅱ)与牛血红蛋白(BHb)的相互作用进行了研究.结果表明:Hg2 处理导致BHb紫外吸收的增加,出现LMCT带,并随Hg2 浓度的增加LMCT带强度显著增强.BHb分子中Soret带的吸收随着Hg2 作用时间的增加而持续降低,表明Hg2 使部分血红素辅基从BHb中脱离出来.蛋白内源荧光光谱显示,Hg2 与BHb的结合会影响蛋白质的三级结构和四级结构.远紫外圆二色谱表明,Hg2 处理会导致BHb蛋白的α-螺旋含量减少.     

对《普通高中化学课程标准》中氨基与亚硝酸法检测蛋白质含量的商榷

《普通高中化学课程标准》中检测蛋白质含量的方法是利用氨基与亚硝酸的反应,其原理是α-氨基与亚硝酸可定量生成氮气,但蛋白质侧链和辅基中的含氮基团难以进行上述反应或者无氮气生成,因此该法不能用于检测蛋白质的含量,但可用于测定蛋白质的水解度。通过比较各种检测蛋白质含量的方法——凯氏定氮法、紫外吸收法、双缩脲法、BCA法、folin-酚试剂法、考马斯亮蓝结合法,建议高中化学教学中采用双缩脲法。     

蛋白质结构的FT-IR研究进展

随着蛋白质使用领域的增加,迫切需要知道它在不同环境中的结构特征及生物活性。目前,测定蛋白质结构的方法很多,包括X射线衍射技术、圆二色光谱(CD)、质谱、FT-IR等。FT-IR(傅立叶变换光谱)法不仅能够测定不同环境中的蛋白质结构及生物活性,而且能够测定其二级结构的相对含量。本文简要综述FT-IR技术用于蛋白质结构的研究进展。     

光谱法研究蛋白质与表面活性剂的相互作用

结合本课题组的工作, 较系统地总结了近年来有关紫外吸收光谱、荧光光谱、圆二色光谱和电子自旋共振光谱技术在蛋白质-表面活性剂混合体系研究中的应用. 大量研究表明, 借助于光谱技术不仅可以研究蛋白质结构与功能的关系, 而且可以探讨蛋白质与表面活性剂的作用机理.     

Charge-transfer transitions in the vacuum-ultraviolet of protein circular dichroism spectra

Circular dichroism (CD) is widely used in the structural characterization and secondary structure determination of proteins. The vacuum UV region (below 190 nm), where charge-transfer transitions have an influence on the CD spectra, can be accessed using synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) spectroscopy. Recently, charge-transfer transitions in a conformationally diverse set of dipeptides have been characterized ab initio using complete active space self-consistent field calculations, and the relevant charge distributions have been parametrized for use in the matrix method for calculations of protein CD. Here, we present calculations of the vacuum UV CD spectra of 71 proteins, for which experimental SRCD spectra and X-ray crystal structures are available. The theoretical spectra are calculated considering charge-transfer and side chain transitions. This significantly improves the agreement with experiment, raising the Spearman correlation coefficient between the calculated and the experimental intensity at 175 nm from 0.12 to 0.79. The influence of the conformation on charge-transfer transitions is analyzed in detail, showing that the n --> pi* charge-transfer transitions are most important in alpha-helical proteins, whereas in beta strand proteins the pi --> pi* charge-transfer transition along the chain in the amino- to carboxy-end direction is most dominant.     

EXTENDING CIRCULAR DICHROISM SPECTRA INTO THE VACUUM UV AND ITS APPLICATION TO PROTEINS

Circular dichroism (CD) spectra measured into the vacuum UV region provide information necessary for this technique to fulfill its potential. In the case of proteins, CD spectra measured to 184 nm or below can be analyzed for secondary structure: generalized inverses make such analyses particularly simple. Generalized inverses for α-helix, anti-parallel β-sheet, parallel β-sheet, β-turn, and "other" structures are given in tabular form. When the dot product of each inverse is taken with the digitized spectrum of a protein, the amount of corresponding secondary structure is predicted. However, protein CD spectra truncated above 184 nm give too little information to give reliable analyses. Furthermore, adding constraints only complicates this problem because unreliable analyses now appear good.     

Radiation synthesis of seroalbumin nanoparticles

Synthesis of small polymeric particles can be achieved by ionizing radiation technology via intramolecular crosslinking by gamma rays onto soluble polymer molecules in random coil conformation. Differently soluble globular proteins are naturally densely packed structures. Fragmentation and aggregation processes have been reported for irradiated globular proteins solutions with ionizing radiations.In this work we describe protein-based nanoparticles prepared by gamma irradiation of a soluble and globular protein, such as seroalbumin, as the basic building blocks keeping its original conformational shape. Protein nanoparticles in the range 20–40 nm were detected after gamma irradiation of the aqueous protein solution in the presence of polar organic solvents. Nanoparticles were characterized by DLS, fluorescence, and UV and CD spectroscopy, showing that the protein molecules keep their general three-dimensional structure into the created nanoparticle.     

The use of circular dichroism in the investigation of protein structure and function

Circular Dichroism (CD) relies on the differential absorption of left and right circularly polarised radiation by chromophores which either possess intrinsic chirality or are placed in chiral environments. Proteins possess a number of chromophores which can give rise to CD signals. In the far UV region (240-180 nm), which corresponds to peptide bond absorption, the CD spectrum can be analysed to give the content of regular secondary structural features such as alpha-helix and beta-sheet. The CD spectrum in the near UV region (320-260 nm) reflects the environments of the aromatic amino acid side chains and thus gives information about the tertiary structure of the protein. Other non-protein chromophores such as flavin and haem moieties can give rise to CD signals which depend on the precise environment of the chromophore concerned. Because of its relatively modest resource demands, CD has been used extensively to give useful information about protein structure, the extent and rate of structural changes and ligand binding. In the protein design field, CD is used to assess the structure and stability of the designed protein fragments. Studies of protein folding make extensive use of CD to examine the folding pathway; the technique has been especially important in characterising molten globule intermediates which may be involved in the folding process. CD is an extremely useful technique for assessing the structural integrity of membrane proteins during extraction and characterisation procedures. The interactions between chromophores can give rise to characteristic CD signals. This is well illustrated by the case of the light harvesting complex from photosynthetic bacteria, where the CD spectra can be analysed to indicate the extent of orbital overlap between the rings of bacteriochlorophyll molecules. It is therefore evident that CD is a versatile technique in structural biology, with an increasingly wide range of applications.     

Effects of urea induced protein conformational changes on ion exchange chromatographic behavior

Urea is widely employed to facilitate protein separations in ion exchange chromatography at various scales. In this work, five model proteins were used to examine the chromatographic effects of protein conformational changes induced by urea in ion exchange chromatography. Linear gradient experiments were carried out at various urea concentrations and the protein secondary and tertiary structures were evaluated by far UV CD and fluorescence measurements, respectively. The results indicated that chromatographic retention times were well correlated with structural changes and that they were more sensitive to tertiary structural change. Steric Mass Action (SMA) isotherm parameters were also examined and the results indicated that urea induced protein conformational changes could affect both the characteristic charge and equilibrium constants in these systems. Dynamic light scattering analysis of changes in protein size due to urea-induced unfolding indicated that the size of the protein was not correlated with SMA parameter changes. These results indicate that while urea-induced structural changes can have a marked effect on protein chromatographic behavior in IEX, this behavior can be quite complicated and protein specific. These differences in protein behavior may provide insight into how these partially unfolded proteins are interacting with the resin material.     

Direct Combination of a High Performance Liquid Chromatograph and a Circular Dichroism Spectrometer for Separation and Structural Analysis of Proteins

Abstract

Basic studies of the combined system of a high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) and a circular dichroism (CD) spectrometer for separation and analysis of proteins are described. The HPLC-CD measurement of standard protein mixture was easily carried out by using a micro flow-cell device with a beam condenser and with a thin cell of a 1 mm-optical path. The effluent was firstly monitored at 280 nm by using an UV detector and subsequently monitored at 220 nm by using a CD spectrometer. The CD spectrum at each chromatographic peak by CD was measured in the wavelength region of 250–195 nm by a stopped flow method.     

三种测定蛋白质热稳定性方法的比较

蛋白质的热稳定性一般使用热变性中点温度(melting temperature,T_m)来表示,即蛋白质解折叠50%时的温度. 测定蛋白质T_m值的常用方法有差示扫描量热法(differential scanning calorimetry,DSC)、圆二色光谱法(circular dichroism,CD)和差示扫描荧光法(differential scanning fluorimetry,DSF)等. 为了比较不同方法的检测特点和效果,选择了5种具有不同结构特点的蛋白,分别使用上述方法对其T_m值进行测定. 结果发现,三种方法测得的T_m值整体上较为一致,但也存在一定的差异. 研究还发现,结构更复杂的蛋白,并不一定具有更多T_m值.     

Role of structure-proteins in the porphyrin–DNA interaction

We studied the complexation of meso-tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphyrin (TMPyP) with HeLa nucleosomes and compared it to our earlier results on T7 phage nucleoprotein complex (NP) and isolated DNA. To identify binding modes and relative concentrations of the bound TMPyP forms, the porphyrin absorption spectra were analyzed at various base pair/porphyrin ratios. Spectral decomposition and circular dichroism measurements proved that the two main binding modes of TMPyP, i.e., external binding and intercalation occur also in the nucleosomes. The DNA superstructure maintained by the proteins decreases its accessibility for TMPyP similarly in both nucleoproteins. A difference is observed between the partitioning of the two binding modes: in the case of nucleosome the ratio of intercalation to groove-binding is changed from 60/40 to 40/60 as determined for T7 NP and for isolated DNA-s. Using UV and CD melting studies, we revealed that TMPyP destabilizes the DNA–protein interaction in the nucleosomes but not in the T7 phage. Lastly, photoinduced reaction of bound TMPyP caused alterations in DNA structures and DNA–protein interactions within both nucleoprotein complexes; the nucleosomes were found to be more sensitive to the photoreaction.     

Temperature/Light Dual‐Responsive Inclusion Complexes of α‐Cyclodextrins and Azobenzene‐Containing Polymers

Three kinds of photoresponsive copolymers with azobenzene side chains were synthesized by radical polymerization of N‐4‐phenylazophenylacrylamide (PAPA) with N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), N,N‐diethylacrylamide (DEAM) or N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMAM) respectively. Their structures were characterized by FT‐IR, ¹H‐NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Their reversible photoresponses were studied with or without α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD), which showed that both the copolymers and their inclusion complexes with α‐CD underwent rapid photoisomerization. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the copolymers and their inclusion complexes with α‐CD were investigated by cloud point measurement, which showed that the LCST of three kinds of copolymers increased largely after adding α‐CD. After UV irradiation on the solutions of copolymers and their inclusion complexes, the LCST of the copolymers increased slightly with the absence of α‐CD, while decreased largely with the presence of α‐CD. Furthermore, the LCST reverted to its originality after visible light irradiation. This change of LCST could be reversibly controlled by UV and visible light irradiation alternately. In particular, in the copolymer of PAPA and DMAM, the reversible water solubility of the inclusion complexes could be triggered by alternating UV and visible light irradiation.