title: Temperature-induced folding changes of beta-lactoglobulin in hydro-methanolic solutions.
abstract: It has been demonstrated using circular dichroism that methanol induces important structural changes of beta-lactoglobulin (BLG). The secondary structure of BLG dissolved in 45% methanol (v/v) at 30 degrees C (dielectric constant epsilon approximately 50) is predominantly alpha-helical and unable to complex retinol any more. However, when the dielectric constant of such a medium is raised back to epsilon approximately 70 by decreasing the temperature, both the refolding of BLG into a beta-structure and the formation of the retinol/BLG complex are observed. On the other hand, in the case of BLG solution in 30% methanol, the decrease of the dielectric constant from epsilon approximately 69 to epsilon approximately 53 by heating from 20 degrees C to 60 degrees C leads to the transition from a predominantly beta-structure into a predominantly random one and the dissociation of the retinol/BLG complex. The reversibility of the conformation changes by cooling was demonstrated by circular dichroism curves and tryptophan fluorescence. The retinol fluorescence intensity could not be completely recovered.
authors.affiliation: LEIMA, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Nantes, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haertlé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000432:Methanol; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017510:Protein Folding; D012996:Solutions; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013696:Temperature; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D007782:Lactoglobulins; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D014801:Vitamin A; D000432:Methanol