title: Structural transition of bovine plasma albumin in the alkaline region--the N-B transition.
abstract: Bovine plasma albumin (BPA) has approximately one SH group (Cys-34) which catalyzes the intramolecular SH, S-S exchange reaction in the alkaline region at low ionic strength, resulting in the formation of the aged form. So, the N-B transition at ionic strength above 0.20 and below 0.10 was studied using BPA and iodoacetamide-blocked BPA (IA-BPA), respectively. (1) pH profiles of [theta]262 and [theta]268 of BPA in 0.20 M KCl showed the characteristic changes in the pH region 7.0-9.0, corresponding to the N-B transition. On going from pH 7.0 to 9.0 in 0.10 M KCl or NaCl, IA-BPA did not show significant changes in rotational relaxation times of tryptophyl fluorophors, CD-resolved secondary structures, spin-echo 1H-n.m.r. spectra and cross-relaxation times (TIS) between irradiated and observed protein protons, which might reflect the rigidity of the domains and/or subdomains. On the other hand, rotational relaxation times of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate-IA-BPA complex (IA-BPA-ANS0.9, molar ratio of ANS to IA-BPA = 0.9/1) showed significant decreases from 131 to 114 ns on going from the N- to the B-forms in 0.10 M KCl. The above results and reported experimental evidence might indicate that on going from the N- to the B-forms in 0.10 M KCl or NaCl, the mutual movement of subdomains, connected with a flexible hinge region (Brown & Shockley (1982)) might increase without loss in the helicity and the rigidity of subdomains. (2) The N-B transition of IA-BPA in the absence of salt was quite different from those in 0.10 M KCl or NaCl. Decreases in the helicity and the intramolecular rigidity, as monitored by TIS-measurements, were observed on going from the N- to the B-forms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Gifu University, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Era
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sogami
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuwata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D007460:Iodoacetamide; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine
chemical_list: D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D007460:Iodoacetamide