Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
1987-3-16
pubmed:abstractText
The dodecylsulfate-induced dissociation of the tetrameric alpha 2-macroglobulin molecule from human plasma has been investigated by the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) method. The great advantage with the SANS method is that, by using deuterated dodecylsulfate, and contrast variation by changing the D2O/H2O ratio of the solvent, we can selectively study just the protein part, or the dodecylsulfate part, of the protein-dodecylsulfate complex. More than a thousandfold excess of dodecylsulfate (on a molar basis) is needed in order to dissociate alpha 2-macroglobulin to particles with, on average, half the original molecular mass. By combining the SANS data with results obtained by the equilibrium dialysis technique it follows that, under these circumstances, approximately one thousand dodecylsulfate molecules are associated per alpha 2-macroglobulin molecule. From the significant increase in the radius of gyration, which accompanies the dissociation process, we can conclude that the dissociation is associated with a drastic change in conformation of the protein molecule. From measurements where the dodecylsulfate part of the complex dominates the SANS signal we also get an indication that the dodecylsulfate is randomly distributed along the polypeptide chain, rather than being arranged in large clusters at certain regions of the protein molecule. By fitting the parameters of a binding model to the experimental data we obtain the result that most of the more than one thousand bound dodecylsulfate molecules, necessary for dissociation, are involved in the change in conformation, and the dissociation process is, in fact, driven by the binding of a very few extra dodecylsulfate molecules to the dissociation products. These data indicate that the dodecylsulfate-induced dissociation of alpha 2-macroglobulin is probably more complicated than just breaking, for instance, a hydrophobic interaction.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0014-2956
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
15
pubmed:volume
162
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
259-64
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-7-23
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1987
pubmed:articleTitle
Dodecylsulfate-induced dissociation of human alpha 2-macroglobulin. An investigation using small-angle neutron scattering and the equilibrium dialysis technique.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't