title: Spectroscopic studies on Erythrina lysistemon seed lectin: effect of denaturing agents on lectin quaternary structure.
abstract: The equilibrium unfolding of ElysL, a homodimeric legume lectin, was studied using different denaturing agents such as guanidinium chloride (GdnHCl), temperature and pH. Simultaneously, changes in the secondary as well as tertiary structure of lectin were followed by CD spectroscopy examination in both far and near-UV region, respectively. The hydrophobic cluster binding dye, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS), was used to further explore intermediates and to follow the unfolding pathway of lectin. The adenine binding ability of lectin was examined and monitored via absorption spectra and the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence. Our findings indicate that the ElysL unfolding process occurs via a three state pathway with an intermediate state. We also showed that ElysL binds adenine in a manner that involves a hydrophobic binding pocket that is independent of the carbohydrate binding sites.
authors.affiliation: Structural Biology Unit, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 115. Taiwan. ehkonozy@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Emadeldin Hassan E
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Konozy
authors.forename: Maha Babiker
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Dafalla
authors.forename: Chwan-Deng
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hsiao
mesh_terms: D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000737:chemistry*; D011489:Protein Denaturation / Q000187:drug effects; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary / Q000187:drug effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D037121:Plant Lectins; C045629:erythrina lectin