title: Evidence of conformational changes in the non-equivalent binding sites of human serum transferrin.
abstract: Samples of monoferric human serum transferrin have been prepared in which the iron occupies predominantly the N-site (sample A) and the C-site (sample B). 111In was then added in concentrations small enough to ensure that there was always an excess of specific binding sites. Because of the presence of apo-transferrin in both the samples, the occupancy by 111In in the two sites was only 75-78% C-site in sample A and only 61-65% N-site in sample B. Time differential PAC spectra showed a transition in the quadrupole frequency which took place at different temperatures, approximately 275 K in sample A and between 290 and 305 K in sample B. Debye and Arrhenius plots of the temperature dependence of the correlation time associated with molecular reorientation indicated an effective molecular volume about 50% larger than that of the hydrated diferric molecule determined by "biochemical" methods, and an activation energy for re-orientation of approximately 0.065 eV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Electronics and Physics, St Bartholomew's Medical College, London, England.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Marsden
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D007501:Iron; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron