Distribution and Transition of Native and Completely Unfolded Conformations in the Unfolding of Bovine Heart Cytochrome c Induced by Urea and Guanidine Hydrochloride

The unfolding of bovine heart cytochrome c induced by urea and guanidine hydrochloride was first studied through intrinsic fluorescence emission spectra and fluorescence phase diagram and the results showed that both of them separately followed a two‐state model. As the simplest sample of the unfolding of protein molecules induced by denaturants, an equation was presented to show the effect of the denaturant concentrations in denaturation solution on the residual activity ratios of bovine heart cytochrome c in their two‐state unfolding. There are two characteristic unfolding parameters K and m in this equation. The former is the thermodynamic equilibrium constant of the unfolding of bovine heart cytochrome c induced by denaturants, the latter is the number of denaturant molecules associated with a bovine heart cytochrome c molecule during the unfolding procedure, and through them the distribution and transition of native and completely unfolded bovine heart cytochrome c conformations under different concentrations of urea or guanidine hydrochloride in denaturation solution can be accurately described.     

脲和盐酸胍诱导的卵清溶菌酶分子去折叠过程中各稳定构象态的分布和过渡

以内源荧光光谱和荧光相图法研究了脲和盐酸胍诱导的卵清溶菌酶分子的去折叠过程,结果表明,当变性液中脲和盐酸胍的浓度分别约为4.0和3.0 mol/L时,卵清溶菌酶分子的去折叠过程均存在一个折叠中间态,这两个去折叠过程均符合"三态模型".在卵清溶菌酶分子"三态"去折叠过程的基础上,通过变性剂分子和卵清溶菌酶分子之间的缔合一...     

溶液中变性剂浓度对蛋白溶菌酶复性的影响

Based on three-state renaturation process of denatured proteins, an equation describing the effect of denaturant concentration on renaturation yield of denatured proteins was presented. By this equation, two parameters n（m1 -m2） and Ka can be obtained. The former indicates the difference in the number of denaturant molecules between the renaturation process of n number of refolding intermediates from refolding intermediate state to native state and their aggregate process from refolding intermediate state to aggregate state, the latter denotes the apparent aggregate equilibrium constant for protein molecules aggregated from native state to aggregate state, and from them, the characteristics of the renaturation process of denatured proteins in denaturant solution can be identified. This equation was tested by the renaturation processes of denatured egg white lysozyme in guanidine hydrochloride and urea solutions, with the results to show that when guanidine hydrochloride and urea concentrations were separately higher than 1.25 and 3.00 mol/L or separately lower than 1.00 and 3.00 mol/L, the refolding intermediates of egg white lysozymes were more easily aggregated to aggregate state or more easily renatured to native state, respectively. Under different initial total egg white lysozyme concentrations in urea solution, the refolding egg white lysozyme intermediates could be deduced to have a tendency to form a bimolecular intermediate aggregate, and this inference was further confirmed by their nonreducing SDS-PAGE and size exclusion chromatography.     

盐酸胍诱导的淀粉液化芽孢杆菌α-淀粉酶去折叠过程的研究

分别用内源荧光光谱法、荧光相图法、荧光探针法、荧光猝灭法、蛋白质电泳法以及体积排阻色谱法研究了盐酸胍诱导的淀粉液化芽孢杆菌a-淀粉酶的去折叠过程. 内源荧光光谱和荧光相图结果表明, 当变性液中盐酸胍浓度约为1.0 mol/L时, 芽孢杆菌a-淀粉酶的去折叠过程中出现一个部分折叠中间体, 其去折叠过程符合“三态模型”; 荧光探针结果表明, 在溶液中盐酸胍浓度约为1.0 mol/L时, 中间态芽孢杆菌a-淀粉酶分子中存在着能够与探针分子1-苯胺 基-8-萘磺酸(ANS)结合的稳定的疏水区域; 荧光猝灭研究给出了不同程度变性的淀粉液化芽孢杆菌a-淀粉酶中的Trp的分布情况, 结果表明中间态芽孢杆菌a-淀粉酶分子中能够被碘化钾猝灭的位于分子表面的色氨酸残基数目达到最大的8个; 蛋白电泳和体积排阻色谱结果表明, 在盐酸胍诱导的芽孢杆菌a-淀粉酶分子的整个去折叠过程中, 不会以共价键或非共价键形式形成芽孢杆菌a-淀粉酶分子之间的集聚体或集聚体沉淀. 在此基础上, 对盐酸胍诱导的淀粉液化芽孢杆菌a-淀粉酶的去折叠过程进行了描述.     

High-Speed Gel Filtration of Polypeptides in Some Denaturants

Abstract

The separation and analysis of proteins and polypeptides by use of a silica-based gel packing, G3000SW, for high-speed gel filtration are investigated. The peaks of bovine serum albumin, pepsin, trypsinogen, myoglobin and cytochrome c were completely separated in the presence of 0.2% SDS and 0.2 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). The elution positions of native proteins, polypeptides in 8 M urea and polypeptide-SDS complexes were influenced by the concentration of sodium phosphate in eluents, though those of polypeptides in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride were little. These facts suggest the presence of the electrostatic interactions between negatively charged gel surfaces of the packing and polypeptides. Taking into account of the interactions, it is shown that the high-speed gel filtration by use of this column is available to the rapid estimation of molecular weight of polypeptides in both systems of SDS and 6 M guanidine hydrochloride.     

脲和盐酸胍诱导的牛碳酸酐酶B的去折叠

采用非变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳、十二烷基硫酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳、高效凝胶排阻色谱和激光光散射光谱研究了脲和盐酸胍诱导的牛碳酸酐酶B的去折叠.实验结果表明,在脲和盐酸胍诱导的牛碳酸酐酶B的去折叠过程中,溶液中只含有单分子牛碳酸酐酶B和二分子牛碳酸酐酶B集聚体;二分子牛碳酸酐酶B集聚体是通过单分子牛碳酸酐酶B之间的疏水和...     

脲和盐酸胍诱导过氧化氢酶去折叠的研究

用荧光相图法分别研究了脲和盐酸胍诱导牛肝过氧化氢酶去折叠的过程。当脲 浓度从0依次增大至0.50,4.5和8.0 mol/L时,过氧化氢酶从天然四聚体依次转变 为蓬松的四聚体、部分折叠的无活性二聚体和去折叠态,而当盐酸胍浓度从0依次 变化至0.65,2.5和6.0 mol/L时,过氧化氢酶则从天然四聚体集资转变为部分折叠 的激活二聚体、部分折叠的单体和去折叠态,这表明无论是用脲还是用盐酸胍作为 变性剂,该蛋白的变性过程都符合“四态模型”,但这两种变性剂诱导该蛋白去折 叠的途径和机制有较大差异。实验结果表明荧光相图法可以检测蛋白质去折叠的中 间态。用等温滴定量去热法研究了盐酸胍诱导过氧化氢酶去折叠过程的热力学, 25.0 ℃时低浓度盐酸胍诱导该蛋白从天然四聚体转变为部分折叠的激活二聚体的 本征摩尔构象变化焓、Gibbs自由能和熵分别为-69.2 kJ·mol~(-1),6.43 kJ· mol~(-1)和-254 J·K~(-1)·mol~(-1),据此推断盐酸胍通过熵效应和静电效应来 稳定和激活该二聚体。     

Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Unfolding States in the Presence of Urea and Guanidine Hydrochloride

Ornithine carbamoyltransferase folding/unfolding is a complex and not completely understood process. Our experimental results suggest that ornithine carbamoyltransferase interacts in a completely different way with urea and guanidine hydrochloride. In fact, we noticed that, increasing concentration from 0.0 to 8.0 M of the two additives, the enzyme follows a simple one-step transition mechanism in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride, with two macroscopic states (the native and the denatured one) significantly populated, whereas in the presence of urea a lot of different protein states can be detected and analyzed. Circular dichroism and UV-visible spectroscopy reveal a similar mechanism of perturbation at high temperature, with opening of hydrophobic core and a significant loss in α-helix structure in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride that cannot be found in the presence of urea.     

盐酸胍诱导的变性卵清溶菌酶分子重折叠过程及其各稳定构象态的分布和过渡

采用变性和非变性电泳、 高效凝胶排阻色谱、 内源荧光发射光谱和荧光相图以及生物活性测定等方法, 研究了盐酸胍诱导的变性卵清溶菌酶分子的重折叠过程及此过程中卵清溶菌酶分子各稳定构象态的分布和过渡. 结果表明, 当复性液中盐酸胍浓度分别约为5.0和2.4 mol/L时, 变性卵清溶菌酶分子的重折叠过程各存在1个稳定折叠中间态, 重折叠过程符合"四态模型". 在卵清溶菌酶分子四态重折叠过程基础上, 结合盐酸胍与卵清溶菌酶分子之间的缔合-解离平衡, 给出了一个定量描述变性剂诱导的蛋白质分子复性过程中蛋白质分子复性率随溶液中变性剂浓度变化的方程. 该方程包含2个特征折叠参数, 一个是蛋白质分子从一个稳定构象态过渡到另一个稳定构象态的热力学过渡平衡常数k; 另一个是在此过程中平均每个蛋白质分子所结合的变性剂分子数目m. 通过这2个特征折叠参数能够定量描述盐酸胍诱导的变性卵清溶菌酶完全去折叠态、 折叠中间态和天然态分子随复性液中盐酸胍浓度变化的分布和过渡情况.     

脲和盐酸胍诱导溶菌酶去折叠的荧光相图法研究

用荧光相图法分别研究了脲和盐酸胍诱导卵清溶菌酶去抓叠的过程。当变性体 系中无还原剂2－巯基乙醇存在、脲浓度从0变化至4.0 mol/L（或盐酸胍浓度从0变 化至3.0 mol/L）时,溶菌酶从天然态转变为部分折叠中间态,当脲浓度从4.0 mol/L变化至8.0 mol/L（或盐酸胍浓度从3.0 mol/L变化至6.0 mol/L）时,溶菌 酶从中间态转变为去折叠态,此时该蛋白的变性过程符合“三态模型”。而当变性 体系中有该还原剂存在时,溶菌酶则由天然态直接转变为去折叠态,此时脲诱导该 蛋白去折叠的过程符合曲型的“二态模型”。实难结果表明荧光相图法可以检测蛋 白南去抓叠的中间态。     

荧光光谱法研究牛血清蛋白在盐酸胍体系中的变性

应用荧光光谱技术,对盐酸胍与牛血清蛋白在30℃水溶液中的结合作用及造成牛血清蛋白变性的过程进行了研究,考察了盐酸胍诱导牛血清蛋白变性时荧光强度和峰位的变化规律,并计算出伸展分数fu,变性平衡常数Ku,伸展吉布斯自由能△Gu,衡量蛋白质对变性剂稳定性的参量△GH2o,衡量蛋白质变性协同性的参量m和变性中点C1/2.研究结...     

Folding Studies of Arginine Kinase from Euphausia superba Using Denaturants

Arginine kinase (AK) is a key metabolic enzyme for maintaining energy balance in invertebrates and studies on AK from Euphausia superba might provide important insights into the metabolic enzymes in extreme climatic marine environments. A folding study of the AK from E. superba (ESAK) has not yet been reported. To gain insights into the structural and folding mechanisms of ESAK, the denaturants guanidine HCl and urea were applied in this study. We purified ESAK from the muscle of E. superba and evaluated the inhibition kinetics with structural unfolding studies under various conditions. The results revealed that ESAK was almost completely inactivated when using 1.0 M guanidine HCl and 8.25 M urea. The kinetics, characterized via time-interval measurements, showed that the inactivations by guanidine HCl and urea were first-order reactions, with the kinetic processes shifting from monophases to biphases as concentrations increased. Measurements of intrinsic and ANS (anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate)-binding fluorescences showed that guanidine HCl and urea induced conspicuous changes in tertiary structures and followed the regular unfolding mechanisms. Our study provides information regarding the folding of this muscle-derived metabolic enzyme and expands our knowledge and understanding of invertebrate metabolisms.     

Urea Unfolding of Opsin in Phospholipid Bicelles†

Opsin is the unstable apo‐protein of the light‐activated G protein‐coupled receptor rhodopsin. We investigated the stability of bovine opsin, solubilized in 1,2‐dimyristoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (DMPC)/detergent bicelles, against urea‐induced unfolding. A single irreversible protein unfolding transition was observed from changes in intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence and far‐UV circular dichroism. This unfolding transition correlated with loss of protein activity. Changes in tertiary structure, as indicated by fluorescence measurements, were concomitant with an approximate 50% reduction in α‐helical content of opsin, indicating that global unfolding had been induced by urea. The urea concentration at the midpoint of unfolding was dependent on the lipid/detergent environment, occurring at approximately 1.2 m urea in DMPC/1,2‐dihexanoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine bicelles, while being significantly stabilized to approximately 3.5 m urea in DMPC/3‐[(cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]‐1‐propanesulfonate bicelles. These findings demonstrate that interactions with the surrounding lipids and detergent are highly influential in the unfolding of membrane protein structure. The urea/bicelle system offers the possibility for a more detailed understanding of the structural changes that take place upon irreversible unfolding of opsin.     

Pressure‐assisted tryptic digestion using a syringe

A simple and effective digestion method was developed using a syringe. A 3 mL syringe was used to apply a pressure of 6 atm to expedite tryptic digestion. Application of a pressure of 6 atm during digestion resulted in better digestion efficiency than digestion under atmospheric pressure. The protein peaks in the matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectra of three model proteins (cytochrome c, horse heart myoglobin, and bovine serum albumin (BSA)) completely disappeared within 30 min at 37°C under a pressure of 6 atm, with greater numbers of peptides observed in 30 min pressure‐assisted digestion than in overnight atmospheric pressure digestion. This is mostly due to the miscleaved peptides. Similar sequence coverages were obtained for 30 min pressure‐assisted digestion and overnight atmospheric pressure digestion of the three model proteins (92% vs. 88% for cytochrome c, 100% vs. 97% for horse heart myoglobin, and 53% vs. 53% for BSA). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cytochrome c‐Capped Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters: Imaging of Live Cells and Delivery of Cytochrome c

Cytochrome c‐capped fluorescent gold nanoclusters (Au‐NCs) are used for imaging of live lung and breast cells. Delivery of cytochrome c inside the cells is confirmed by covalently attaching a fluorophore (Alexa Fluor 594) to cytochrome c‐capped Au‐NCs and observing fluorescence from Alexa 594 inside the cell. Mass spectrometry studies suggest that in bulk water, addition of glutathione (GSH) to cytochrome c‐capped Au‐NCs results in the formation of glutathione‐capped Au‐NCs and free apo‐cytochrome c. Thus glutathione displaces cytochrome c as a capping agent. Using confocal microscopy, the emission spectra and decay of Au‐NCs are measured in live cells. From the position of the emission maximum it is shown that the Au‐NCs exist as Au₈ in bulk water and as Au₁₃ inside the cells. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer from cytochrome c–Au‐NC (donor) to Mitotracker Orange (acceptor) indicates that the Au‐NCs localise in the mitochondria of live cells.     

Structural Stability and Unfolding Properties of Cutinases from Thermobifida fusca

A comparative analysis of the structural and functional aspects along with equilibrium unfolding of two homologous cutinases, Cut1 and Cut2, from Thermobifida fusca was carried out. The CD and fluorescence profile at different pH in the range of 6 to 9 showed no structural variations for both cutinases, indicating their stability to a wide range of pH. Tryptophan quenching studies suggested that all the four Trp residues in the protein are in inaccessible hydrophobic pockets. Further, near-UV CD analysis of tertiary structure revealed a dissimilar distribution of aromatic amino acid on the surface of these two enzymes. Denaturation profiles obtained in aqueous solutions of the guanidine hydrochloride revealed different tolerance levels for unfolding of the two cutinases, with Cut2 showing higher resistivity to unfolding in comparison to Cut1. Both cutinases retained all the structural parameters even in the presence of 8 M urea, indicating the protein to be highly resistant to urea-induced unfolding. Structural study by homology modeling revealed a high resemblance of secondary structure between the two cutinases; however, their tertiary structure, hydrophobicity, and surface electrostatic properties were very different, which contributed to the difference in the structural stability of these two cutinases.     

Denaturing Effects of Urea and Guanidine Hydrochloride on Hyperthermophilic Esterase from Aeropyrum pernix K1

Introduction Esterases(EC3.1.1.x)representadiversegroup ofhydrolasescatalyzingthecleavageandformationof esterbonds.Theyarewidelydistributedinanimals,plantsandmicroorganisms.Becauseoftheiractivities inbothaqueousandnonaqueoussolventsystems,ester aseshavebe…     

蛋白质多态解折叠行为与稳定性Ⅱ:酶的多态解折叠行为

基于结构基元模型,进一步假设,由n个结构基元组成的蛋白酶,其活性中心由na(na?n)个结构基元组成,酶活性仅与组成活性中心的结构基元相关.由此,推导出适合于蛋白酶解折叠研究的变性曲线、解折叠结构基元平均自由能、物种分布等表达式.本文以盐酸胍诱导的卵清溶菌酶解折叠为例,通过荧光方法测定的溶菌酶解折叠曲线,得出卵清溶菌酶由2个结构基元组成,结构基元平均自由能?G0element(H2O)为48.47 kJ/mol.物种分布表明,酶活性随盐酸胍浓度的变化仅仅反映的是结构基元1(?-片结构域)的解折叠,而结构基元2(?-螺旋结构域)的解折叠反映在3.8~5.0 mol/L盐酸胍浓度范围内.结构基元模型既可描述蛋白酶多态解折叠的谱学行为,又可解释蛋白酶活性的两态性质.     

Binding Studies of a Schiff Base Compound Containing a 1,2,4-Triazole Ring with Bovine Serum Albumin Using Spectroscopic Methods

The binding interaction of a Schiff base compound containing a 1,2,4‐triazole ring [4‐(4‐chlorobenzyl‐ideneamino)‐5‐methyl‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐thiol, CTT] with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied by spectroscopy methods including fluorescence and circular dichroism spectrum under simulative physiological conditions. Fluorescence investigation revealed that the fluorescence quenching of BSA was induced by the formation of a relative stable CTT‐BSA complex. The corresponding binding constants (K_a) between CTT and BSA at three different temperatures were calculated according to the modified Stern‐Volmer equation. The enthalpy change (ΔH^⊖) and entropy change (ΔS^⊖) were calculated to be −15.78 kJ·mol⁻¹ and 49.23 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹, respectively, which suggested that hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bond played major roles in stabilizing the CTT‐BSA complex. Site marker competitive experiments indicated that the binding of CTT to BSA primarily took place in sub‐domain IIIA (site II) of BSA. The binding distance (r) between CTT and the tryptophan residue of BSA was obtained to be 4.3 nm based on F?rster theory of non‐radioactive energy transfer. The conformational investigation revealed that the presence of CTT decreased the α‐helix content of BSA (from 58.62% to 54.66%) and induced the slight unfolding of the polypeptides of protein, which confirmed some micro‐environmental and conformational changes of BSA molecules.