Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
30
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-9-5
pubmed:abstractText
alpha-Crystallin is a major structural protein of the vertebrate lens which shows structural and functional similarities to small heat shock proteins. The structure and the thermal stability of bovine alpha-crystallin were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and differential scanning calorimetry. Infrared spectroscopic data provide evidence which corroborates the view that the secondary structure of alpha-crystallin is highly ordered and consists predominantly of beta-sheets. However, the present results fail to support the widespread notion of an extremely high thermal stability of the protein. All three experimental approaches used in this study show that alpha-crystallin undergoes a major thermotropic transition with a midpoint at 60-62 degrees C. Furthermore, Fourier-transform infrared spectra provide evidence that this conformational transition is associated with a massive loss of the native beta-sheet structure. These results shed new light on structural properties of alpha-crystallin and have important implications for understanding the mechanism of the chaperone-like action of this protein.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Aug
pubmed:issn
0006-2960
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
1
pubmed:volume
34
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
9655-60
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-11-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1995
pubmed:articleTitle
On the thermal stability of alpha-crystallin: a new insight from infrared spectroscopy.
pubmed:affiliation
Mason Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Missouri, Columbia 65212, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't