Internal protein motions, concentrated glycerol, and hydrogen exchange studied in myoglobin. 1985

D B Calhoun, and S W Englander

Experiments were carried out to measure the effect of concentrations of glycerol on H-exchange (HX) rates by using myoglobin as a test protein. Concentrated glycerol has only a small slowing effect on the HX kinetics of freely exposed amides, studied in a small molecule model (acetamide). Larger effects occur in structured proteins. The effect of solvent glycerol on different parts of the HX curve of myoglobin was studied by use of a selective "kinetic labeling" approach. Concentrated glycerol exerts an apparently reverse effect on protein H exchange; the faster exchanging "surface" protons are least affected, while the slower and slower amide NH is further slowed by larger and larger factors. These results seem inconsistent with solvent penetration models which generally visualize slower and slower protons as being placed, and undergoing exchange, farther and farther from the solvent-protein interface. On the other hand, the results are as expected for the local unfolding model for protein H exchange since concentrated glycerol is known to stabilize proteins against unfolding. In the local unfolding model, slower exchanging protons are released by way of higher energy and therefore generally larger, unfolding reactions. Larger unfoldings must be more inhibited by the glycerol effect.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007700 Kinetics The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D009211 Myoglobin A conjugated protein which is the oxygen-transporting pigment of muscle. It is made up of one globin polypeptide chain and one heme group.
D002627 Chemistry, Physical The study of CHEMICAL PHENOMENA and processes in terms of the underlying PHYSICAL PHENOMENA and processes. Physical Chemistry,Chemistries, Physical,Physical Chemistries
D005990 Glycerol A trihydroxy sugar alcohol that is an intermediate in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. It is used as a solvent, emollient, pharmaceutical agent, or sweetening agent. 1,2,3-Propanetriol,Glycerin,1,2,3-Trihydroxypropane,Glycerine
D006860 Hydrogen Bonding A low-energy attractive force between hydrogen and another element. It plays a major role in determining the properties of water, proteins, and other compounds. Hydrogen Bonds,Bond, Hydrogen,Hydrogen Bond
D006863 Hydrogen-Ion Concentration The normality of a solution with respect to HYDROGEN ions; H+. It is related to acidity measurements in most cases by pH pH,Concentration, Hydrogen-Ion,Concentrations, Hydrogen-Ion,Hydrogen Ion Concentration,Hydrogen-Ion Concentrations
D006878 Hydroxides Inorganic compounds that contain the OH- group.
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014907 Whales Large marine mammals of the order CETACEA. In the past, they were commercially valued for whale oil, for their flesh as human food and in ANIMAL FEED and FERTILIZERS, and for baleen. Today, there is a moratorium on most commercial whaling, as all species are either listed as endangered or threatened. Beaked Whales,Berardius,Caperea,Dwarf Sperm Whale,Giant Bottle-Nosed Whales,Goose-Beaked Whale,Gray Whale,Mesoplodon,Narwhals,Pygmy Right Whale,Pygmy Sperm Whale,Right Whale, North Atlantic,Right Whale, Southern,Ziphiidae,Ziphius,Eschrichtius robustus,Eubalaena australis,Grey Whale,Monodon monoceros,North Atlantic Right Whale,Beaked Whale,Bottle-Nosed Whale, Giant,Bottle-Nosed Whales, Giant,Dwarf Sperm Whales,Giant Bottle Nosed Whales,Giant Bottle-Nosed Whale,Goose Beaked Whale,Goose-Beaked Whales,Gray Whales,Grey Whales,Narwhal,Pygmy Right Whales,Pygmy Sperm Whales,Right Whale, Pygmy,Right Whales, Pygmy,Right Whales, Southern,Southern Right Whale,Southern Right Whales,Sperm Whale, Dwarf,Sperm Whale, Pygmy,Sperm Whales, Dwarf,Sperm Whales, Pygmy,Whale,Whale, Grey,Whale, Southern Right,Whales, Grey,Whales, Southern Right
D017665 Hydroxyl Radical The univalent radical OH. Hydroxyl radical is a potent oxidizing agent.

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