Thermodynamic and Structural Properties of the Acid Molten Globule State of Horse Cytochrome c

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Abstract
To understand the stabilization, folding, and functional mechanisms of proteins, it is very important to understand the structural and thermodynamic properties of the molten globule state. In this study, the global structure of the acid molten globule state, which we call MG1, of horse cytochrome c at low pH and high salt concentrations was evaluated by solution X-ray scattering (SXS), dynamic light scattering, and circular dichroism measurements. MG1 was globular and slightly (3%) larger than the native state, N. Calorimetric methods, such as differential scanning calorimetry and isothermal acid-titration calorimetry, were used to evaluate the thermodynamic parameters in the transitions of N to MG1 and MG1 to denatured state D of horse cytochrome c. The heat capacity change, ΔCp, in the N-to-MG1 transition was determined to be 2.56 kJ K−1 mol−1, indicating the increase in the level of hydration in the MG1 state. Moreover, the intermediate state on the thermal N-to-D transition of horse cytochrome c at pH 4 under low-salt conditions showed the same structural and thermodynamic properties of the MG1 state in both SXS and calorimetric measurements. The Gibbs free energy changes (ΔG) for the N-to-MG1 and N-to-D transitions at 15 °C were 10.9 and 42.2 kJ mol−1, respectively.

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