title: Characterization of the equilibrium intermediates in acid denaturation of human stefin B.
abstract: Acid-induced denaturation of recombinant human stefin B was followed using circular dichroism (CD) and fluorimetry. By comparing different spectroscopic probes, a number of equilibrium intermediates were detected. In pH denaturation at very low salt concentration (0.03 M NaCl) four states can be distinguished: N - I(N) - I1 - U, where N is the native state, I(N) is a native-like intermediate, I1 is an acid intermediate state with properties of a molten globule and U is the unfolded state. State 1, exhibits no near-ultraviolet CD but has some residual far-ultraviolet CD. It differs from U in its ability to increase fluorescence of 1-anilino-naphthalene 8-sulfonate (ANS). In 0.42 M salt, the pH denaturation is three-state between the dimeric native state N2 and intermediates I(N2) and I2, which are also dimeric according to size-exclusion chromatography. The acid intermediate I2 is more structured than I1: it binds ANS to a lower extent an I1, its Tyr residues are protected from the solvent, it shows some near-ultraviolet CD and its far-ultraviolet CD is even more intense than that for the native state. 1H-NMR spectra confirmed the overall structural features of the acid intermediates. To obtain the enthalpies of unfolding, microcalorimetric measurements were performed under conditions where the acid intermediates are maximally populated (18 degrees C): state I(N) from pH 5.0 to 4.6, 0.03 M salt: state I1 below pH 3.8, 0.42 M salt; and state I1 in equilibrium with I(N) at pH 4.05, 0.03 M salt. Enthalpies of unfolding for states I(N) and I1 were comparable to those of the native state. The enthalpy of unfolding for state I1 could not be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zerovnik
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jerala
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kroon-Zitko
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lohner
mesh_terms: D000817:Anilino Naphthalenesulfonates; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D055313:Cystatin B; D015891:Cystatins / Q000737:chemistry*; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D017510:Protein Folding; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D000817:Anilino Naphthalenesulfonates; C524994:CSTB protein, human; D015891:Cystatins; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C027132:1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate; D055313:Cystatin B