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Conformation and stability properties of B17: I. Analytical investigations using circular dichroism

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Abstract

Structural characterization of B17, the 17 % N-terminal domain of apo B, was carried out using circular dichroic (CD) spectroscopy, where secondary and tertiary structures were studied as a function of temperature and pH. Mild acidic conditions that correlate with histidine protonation invoked a change in the α-helix and random coil contents of the protein, with no apparent change in the β-sheet structural content. Specific changes in the structure of the protein that occur in response to temperature were also investigated to understand the stability and conformational changes of B17. Far- and near-UV CDs were used to probe the thermal changes in the protein. The protonation of some histidine residues was attributed to underlie the increase in the helical content of the protein.

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks should go to Dr. D. Small and the late Dr. M. Walsh for their insightful discussions. This project was partially supported by an award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sciences V, Lebanese University, Nabatieh, Lebanon

    Hassan M. Khachfe

  2. Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Lebanese International University, P.O. Box 146404, Mazraa, Beirut, Lebanon

    Hassan M. Khachfe

  3. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and Center for Advanced Biomedical Research (CABR), Boston University School of Medicine, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Hassan M. Khachfe & David Atkinson

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  1. Hassan M. Khachfe
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  2. David Atkinson
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Correspondence to Hassan M. Khachfe.

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Khachfe, H.M., Atkinson, D. Conformation and stability properties of B17: I. Analytical investigations using circular dichroism. Eur Biophys J 41, 639–646 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-012-0836-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-012-0836-2

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