Biomaterial Database

Thermodynamics of maltose binding protein unfolding. 1997

V Novokhatny, and K Ingham

Holland Laboratory, American Red Cross, Rockville, Maryland 20855, USA.

The maltose binding protein (MBP or MalE) of Escherichia coli is the periplasmic component of the transport system for malto-oligosaccharides. It is used widely as a carrier protein for the production of recombinant fusion proteins. The melting of recombinant MBP was studied by differential scanning and titration calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy under different solvent conditions. MBP exhibits a single peak of heat absorption with a delta(Hcal)/delta(HvH) ratio in the range of 1.3-1.5, suggesting that the protein comprises two strongly interacting thermodynamic domains. Binding of maltose resulted in elevation of the Tm by 8-15 degrees C, depending of pH. The presence of ligand at neutral pH, in addition to shifting the melting process to higher temperature, caused it to become more cooperative. The delta(Hcal)/delta(HvH) ratio decreased to unity, indicating that the two domains melt together in a single two-state transition. This ligand-induced merging of the two domains appears to occur only at neutral pH, because at low pH maltose simply stabilized MBP and did not cause a decrease of the delta(Hcal)/delta(HvH) ratio. Binding of maltose to MBP is characterized by very low enthalpy changes, approximately -1 kcal/mol. The melting of MBP is accompanied by an exceptionally large change in heat capacity. 0.16 cal/K-g, which is consistent with the high amount of nonpolar surface--0.72 A2/g--that becomes accessible to solvent in the unfolded state. The high value of delta Cp determines a very steep delta G versus T profile for this protein and predicts that cold denaturation should occur above freezing temperatures. Evidence for this was provided by changes in fluorescence intensity upon cooling the protein. A sigmoidal cooperative transition with a midpoint near 5 degrees C was observed when MBP was cooled at low pH. Analysis of the melting of several fusion proteins containing MBP illustrated the feasibility of assessing the folding integrity of recombinant products prior to separating them from the MBP carrier protein.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009004	Monosaccharide Transport Proteins	A large group of membrane transport proteins that shuttle MONOSACCHARIDES across CELL MEMBRANES.	Hexose Transport Proteins,Band 4.5 Preactin,Erythrocyte Band 4.5 Protein,Glucose Transport-Inducing Protein,Hexose Transporter,4.5 Preactin, Band,Glucose Transport Inducing Protein,Preactin, Band 4.5,Proteins, Monosaccharide Transport,Transport Proteins, Hexose,Transport Proteins, Monosaccharide,Transport-Inducing Protein, Glucose
D002152	Calorimetry, Differential Scanning	Differential thermal analysis in which the sample compartment of the apparatus is a differential calorimeter, allowing an exact measure of the heat of transition independent of the specific heat, thermal conductivity, and other variables of the sample.	Differential Thermal Analysis, Calorimetric,Calorimetric Differential Thermal Analysis,Differential Scanning Calorimetry,Scanning Calorimetry, Differential
D002352	Carrier Proteins	Proteins that bind or transport specific substances in the blood, within the cell, or across cell membranes.	Binding Proteins,Carrier Protein,Transport Protein,Transport Proteins,Binding Protein,Protein, Carrier,Proteins, Carrier
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D013816	Thermodynamics	A rigorously mathematical analysis of energy relationships (heat, work, temperature, and equilibrium). It describes systems whose states are determined by thermal parameters, such as temperature, in addition to mechanical and electromagnetic parameters. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 12th ed)	Thermodynamic
D017510	Protein Folding	Processes involved in the formation of TERTIARY PROTEIN STRUCTURE.	Protein Folding, Globular,Folding, Globular Protein,Folding, Protein,Foldings, Globular Protein,Foldings, Protein,Globular Protein Folding,Globular Protein Foldings,Protein Foldings,Protein Foldings, Globular
D058619	Maltose-Binding Proteins	Periplasmic proteins that bind MALTOSE and maltodextrin. They take part in the maltose transport system of BACTERIA.	Maltose-Binding Protein,Maltose Binding Protein,Maltose Binding Proteins
D018528	ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters	A family of MEMBRANE TRANSPORT PROTEINS that require ATP hydrolysis for the transport of substrates across membranes. The protein family derives its name from the ATP-binding domain found on the protein.	ABC Transporter,ABC Transporters,ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter,ATP Binding Cassette Transporter,ATP Binding Cassette Transporters,Cassette Transporter, ATP-Binding,Transporter, ABC,Transporter, ATP-Binding Cassette,Transporters, ABC,Transporters, ATP-Binding Cassette
D029968	Escherichia coli Proteins	Proteins obtained from ESCHERICHIA COLI.	E coli Proteins
D033902	Periplasmic Binding Proteins	Periplasmic proteins that scavenge or sense diverse nutrients. In the bacterial environment they usually couple to transporters or chemotaxis receptors on the inner bacterial membrane.	Periplasmic Binding Protein,Binding Protein, Periplasmic,Binding Proteins, Periplasmic,Protein, Periplasmic Binding