Biomaterial Database

Unfolding of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase equilibrium and kinetic studies. 1994

T Pineda, and J E Churchich

Department of Biochemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37916.

The unfolding of pig liver 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase by urea has been investigated at equilibrium. The overall process was reversible as judged from the recovery of catalytic activity after dilution of urea-treated samples. Unfolding of the enzyme was monitored by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy. The steepness of the fluorescence and CD changes between 2 and 8 M urea, and the lack of any discernible plateau suggests that unfolding of the protein is a cooperative process. The unfolding of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase as a function of urea concentration was monitored by fluorescence measurements of the tryptophanyl residues. The kinetic results indicate that the aminotransferase unfolds in a single kinetic phase. Unfolded 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase recovers immediately its catalytic activity upon dilution with buffers of neutral pH. Based on equilibrium and kinetic results, a two-state model for the unfolding of the aminotransferase is proposed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D002021	Buffers	A chemical system that functions to control the levels of specific ions in solution. When the level of hydrogen ion in solution is controlled the system is called a pH buffer.	Buffer
D002942	Circular Dichroism	A change from planar to elliptic polarization when an initially plane-polarized light wave traverses an optically active medium. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Circular Dichroism, Vibrational,Dichroism, Circular,Vibrational Circular Dichroism
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
D000612	4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase	An enzyme that converts brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID) into succinate semialdehyde, which can be converted to succinic acid and enter the citric acid cycle. It also acts on beta-alanine. EC 2.6.1.19.	Aminobutyrate Aminotransferase,GABA Transaminase,beta-Alanine Ketoglutarate Aminotransferase,GABA Aminotransferase,GABA-alpha-Ketoglutarate Aminotransferase,4 Aminobutyrate Transaminase,Aminotransferase, Aminobutyrate,Aminotransferase, GABA,Aminotransferase, GABA-alpha-Ketoglutarate,Aminotransferase, beta-Alanine Ketoglutarate,GABA alpha Ketoglutarate Aminotransferase,Ketoglutarate Aminotransferase, beta-Alanine,Transaminase, 4-Aminobutyrate,Transaminase, GABA,beta Alanine Ketoglutarate Aminotransferase
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
D013050	Spectrometry, Fluorescence	Measurement of the intensity and quality of fluorescence.	Fluorescence Spectrophotometry,Fluorescence Spectroscopy,Spectrofluorometry,Fluorescence Spectrometry,Spectrophotometry, Fluorescence,Spectroscopy, Fluorescence
D013053	Spectrophotometry	The art or process of comparing photometrically the relative intensities of the light in different parts of the spectrum.
D013552	Swine	Any of various animals that constitute the family Suidae and comprise stout-bodied, short-legged omnivorous mammals with thick skin, usually covered with coarse bristles, a rather long mobile snout, and small tail. Included are the genera Babyrousa, Phacochoerus (wart hogs), and Sus, the latter containing the domestic pig (see SUS SCROFA).	Phacochoerus,Pigs,Suidae,Warthogs,Wart Hogs,Hog, Wart,Hogs, Wart,Wart Hog