title: Congo red-stabilized intermediates in the lambda light chain transition from native to molten state.
abstract: Disruption of tertiary interaction makes a protein accessible to penetration by different small molecular compounds. Their interaction may stabilize the altered protein conformation. Congo red is proposed here as a stabilizer of the molten globule state and also of highly reversible intermediates in the transition from native to molten state. Human immunoglobulin lambda light chain (dimer) was used. Two protein-Congo red complexes were found after heating lambda chain in the presence of Congo red. They differed in the amount of attached dye molecules. The binding of dye was interpreted as a two-step dye penetration process involving the peripheral parts of the protein in the first step (at lower temperatures). It was concluded that the liquid crystal properties of Congo red enable it to form specific complexes with proteins, which have become accessible to penetration by ligands after global or local disruption of tertiary interaction. This dye may thus be used as a stabilizer of unfolding intermediates in the step preceding the molten globule state.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Collegium Medicum Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Piekarska
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skowronek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rybarska
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stopa
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roterman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Konieczny
mesh_terms: D000817:Anilino Naphthalenesulfonates; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D003224:Congo Red / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D011485:Protein Binding; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D017510:Protein Folding
chemical_list: D000817:Anilino Naphthalenesulfonates; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains; D008024:Ligands; D003224:Congo Red; C027132:1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate