Thermodynamic denaturation of β-lactoglobulin in the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride

In this work, we determined the stability parameters of bovine β-lactoglobulin, variant A, (BLG-A), in relation to their transition curves induced by cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) as a cationic surfactant. The experiments took place over the temperature range of 298 K to 358 K. For each transition curve at any specific temperature, the conventional method of analysis, which assumes a linear concentration dependence of the pre- and post-transition base lines, gave the most realistic values for ΔG_D(H₂O). Results show that the minimum value of ΔG_D(H₂O) occurs at T = 328 K. Using the Gibbs–Helmholtz equation, the values of enthalpy, ΔH_D, and entropy, ΔS_D, of denaturation have been calculated considering temperature dependence of ΔG_D at any specified concentration of CPC. The values of 12.05 kJ · mol⁻¹, 18.54 kJ · mol⁻¹, and 18.32 J · mol⁻¹ · K⁻¹, were obtained for ΔG_D(H₂O), ΔH_D(H₂O), and ΔS_D(H₂O), respectively. The results show that the enthalpy term dominates the entropy term.     

Denaturation of jack-bean urease by sodium n-dodecyl sulphate: a kinetic study below the critical micelle concentration

Kinetics of urease denaturation by anionic surfactant (sodium n-dodecyl sulphate, SDS) at concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (CMC) is investigated spectrophotometrically at neutral pH and the corresponding two-phase kinetic parameters of the process are estimated from a three-state reversible process using a binomial exponential relation based on the relaxation time method as: Using a prepared computer program, the experimental data are properly fitted into a binomial exponential relation, considering a two-phase denaturation pathway including a kinetically stable folded intermediate formed at SDS concentration of 1.1 mM. Forward and backward rate constants are estimated as: k(1)=0.2141+/-4.5 x 10(-3), k(2)=5.173 x 10(-3)+/-8.3 x 10(-5), k(-1)=0.09432+/-3.6 x 10(-4) and k(-2)=2.079 x 10(-3)+/-5.6 x 10(-5)s(-1) for the proposed mechanism. The rate-limiting step as well as the reaction coordinates in the denaturation mechanism are established. The mechanism involves formation of a kinetically stable folded native like intermediate through the electrostatic interactions. The intermediate was found to be more stable even than the native form (by about 9 kJmol(-1)) and still hexamer, because no loss of amplitude was observed. Electrophoresis experiments on the native and surfactant/urease complexes indicated a higher mobility for the kinetically folded native like intermediate.     

A DNA-based piezoelectric biosensor: strategies for coupling nucleic acids to piezoelectric devices

A DNA-based piezoelectric biosensor has been here studied in terms of probe immobilisation and DNA sample pre-treatment. The biosensor is specific for the detection of the mecA gene of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).Methicillin-resistant S. aureus is responsible of several infections in humans, like pneumonia, meningitis and endocarditic. MRSA is also a major cause of hospital-acquired infections worldwide. The antibiotics resistance is conferred by the gene mecA, codifying for an anomalous protein.Two different immobilisation procedures of the probe specific for mecA gene are reported: immobilisation via streptavidin-biotin interaction and direct immobilisation of thiolated probes.After the study with synthetic oligonucleotides, the system has been applied to the analysis of bacterial DNA from MRSA, amplified by polymerase chain reaction. These samples were pre-treated with two different denaturation procedures and the performances of the sensor in the two cases were compared.The two immobilisation methods and denaturation protocols were here used to study the influences of these parameters on the performances of the sensor, applied here to the detection of the mecA gene. Better results in terms of sensitivity and reproducibility were obtained when using the biotinylated probe and the PCR-amplified samples treated by a denaturation procedures involving the use of high temperature and blocking oligonucleotides.     

盐酸胍和尿素诱导溶菌酶变性的微量热研究

应用恒温微量热技术,对盐酸胍和尿素与溶菌酶在30℃水溶液中的结合作用及造成溶菌酶变性的过程进行了研究,并根据简单结合模型,计算了它们之间的结合常数、结合自由能。用变性中点的直线外推方法求出了表观变性焓。实验结果表明,盐酸胍和尿素诱导溶菌酶变性的相互作用均分为3个阶段。溶菌酶在盐酸胍溶液中的变性焓在pH=4.16时为81...     

Complexation of insecticide chlorantraniliprole with human serum albumin: Biophysical aspects

Chlorantraniliprole is a novel insecticide belonging to the diamide class of selective ryanodine receptor agonists. A biophysical study on the binding interaction of a novel diamide insecticide, chlorantraniliprole, with staple in vivo transporter, human serum albumin (HSA) has been investigated utilizing a combination of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), and molecular modeling methods. The interaction of chlorantraniliprole with HSA gives rise to fluorescence quenching through static mechanism, this corroborates the fluorescence lifetime outcomes that the ground state complex formation and the predominant forces in the HSA-chlorantraniliprole conjugate are van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds, as derived from thermodynamic analysis. The definite binding site of chlorantraniliprole in HSA has been identified from the denaturation of protein, competitive ligand binding, and molecular modeling, subdomain IIIA (Sudlow's site II) was designated to possess high-affinity binding site for chlorantraniliprole. Moreover, using synchronous fluorescence, CD, and three-dimensional fluorescence we testified some degree of HSA structure unfolding upon chlorantraniliprole binding.     

Study of thermal and chemical effects on cellulase enzymes: Viscosity measurements

The behaviour of cellulase enzymes in phosphate saline buffer has been studied over a wide range of temperatures and enzyme concentrations by using viscosity measurements. To characterize the conformation change of cellulase versus temperature and chemical denaturants, such as guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) and urea, the information about the intrinsic viscosity and the hydrodynamic radius are necessary. The dependence of the intrinsic viscosity and the hydrodynamic radius in its random coil conformation on temperature and denaturant concentration were studied. Our results and discussions are limited to the dilute regime of concentration because of abnormalities in conformation observed in the very dilute regime due to the presence of capillary absorption effects.     

Foam formation and stabilisation by pre-denatured ovalbumin

Various mild heat-treatments of ovalbumin solutions were applied to produce molecular species with different conformational states, and having different kinetics of adsorption to the air/water interface and different foaming properties. Molecular species with a higher degree of shear-induced deformation and a low degree of thermal conformational stability showed a slight enhancement of the rate of decrease of surface tension, 5 min after the creation of the fresh interface, and decreasing long-term values of surface tension. Solutions of ovalbumin molecular species exhibiting such initial structural patterns were shown to have enhanced foam capacity and stability against liquid drainage. Ovalbumin molecules with some degree of secondary and tertiary structural changes and increased viscosity, before adsorption at the air/water interface, were shown to be relevant to produce more or less hydrated foams with more or less stability against liquid drainage.     

微管蛋白的聚合和变性及紫杉醇的影响

微管系统在细胞中执行许多重要功能山．微管在细胞中呈现高度的时间和空间有序性,并与构成它的结构单元—一微管蛋白（土。l｝）lllil。）保持动态平衡,而且这种平衡是局域的和暂时的,Mit（Jlisou和Krscllner根据他们的微管体外实验及体内微管聚合特性称之为微管生长的动态不稳定性＊1．微管的生理功能正是与它的这种根本特性有关．另有研究发现微管是许多药物包括许多抗癌药物作用的靶子问．如紫杉醇（TaX01）＊等．因此国际上研究微管蛋白的聚合过程以及药物分子的作用是微管研究中的热点问题之一．生理状态下微管蛋白以。月异二聚体…     

圆二色谱表征芥蓝抗坏血酸过氧化物酶变性过程中的结构变化

圆二色谱(CD)是一种特殊的吸收光谱,蛋白质的二级结构如α-螺旋、β-折叠、β-转角在远紫外区(190～250 nm)都具有特征性的CD图谱。为了了解芥蓝抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(BaAPX)在变性过程中活性变化和结构变化的关系,动态监测了不同时间、温度及浓度条件下BaAPX的比酶活及远紫外CD图谱,并利用CD分析软件Dichroweb计算了BaAPX中四种二级结构的百分含量。结果表明：BaAPX属于全α型蛋白,α-螺旋的百分含量与比酶活之间存在比较明显的正相关关系。在低浓度低温的变性过程中,BaAPX发生了初始态(N态)→α-螺旋最少态(R态)一步结构变化;在高浓度低温的变性过程中,BaAPX发生了N态→平衡态(T态)一步结构变化;在热处理后低温复性的变性过程中,BaAPX发生了N态→R态→T态两步结构变化。     

温度对牛胶原聚集态的影响

本研究采用酶解法制备了牛胶原。分别用粘度法、紫外分光光度计、红外光谱和原子力显微镜分析方法,考察了不同温度下胶原的物理化学特性。实验结果表明:粘度法和紫外分光光度计测定的胶原溶液的变性温度约为38℃;红外光谱测定表明,随着温度的提高,胶原膜在1650cm-1的吸收峰减弱;原子力显微镜实验表明了在40℃时牛胶原分子由螺旋结构的长链断裂为小链段和一些小碎片,说明此方法制备的胶原在40℃以上其三股螺旋结构将被破坏。