cytochrome-c-t and guanidine-thiocyanate

The stability of the oxidized and reduced forms of three homologous cytochromes c from two thermophiles and one mesophile was systematically monitored by means of Soret absorption measurements in the presence of various concentrations of a denaturant, guanidine thiocyanate, at pH 7.0 at 25 degrees C. Thermophilic Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c(552) was the most stable in both redox states, followed by moderately thermophilic Hydrogenophilus thermoluteolus cytochrome c(552), and then mesophilic Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c(551). Further stability and electrochemical analysis of the three proteins and the reciprocal variants, which exhibited a different hydrophobic interaction with the heme, showed that the one with the higher stability in both redox states had the lower redox potential. Consequently, these cytochromes c probably adapted to the cellular environments of the original bacteria with correlated stability and redox potential constraints, which are in part regulated by the hydrophobicity around the heme.

Topics: Absorption; Cytochromes c; Electrochemistry; Enzyme Stability; Guanidines; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydrogenophilaceae; Models, Molecular; Mutation; Oxidation-Reduction; Protein Conformation; Protein Denaturation; Pseudomonas; Sequence Homology; Temperature; Thiocyanates

In this preliminary study hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) is proposed as a good tool in order to detect conformational changes induced by chemical denaturants in two globular proteins, cytochrome C (Cyt C) and myoglobin (MYO). Alterations in protein structure were manifested chromatographically by reproducible changes in peak heights, retention time, and appearance of multiple peaks. The HIC behavior of the two model proteins denatured by guanidinium thyocyanate (GdmSCN) was investigated, keeping constant various concentrations of urea in the mobile phase in a TSK-Gel Phenyl-5PW column (TosoBiosep). Suitable elution conditions provide evidence of the simultaneous presence of two denatured forms in the case of MYO, and sequential different denatured states of Cyt C.

Topics: Animals; Buffers; Chromatography; Cytochromes c; Guanidines; Horses; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Models, Molecular; Myoglobin; Protein Denaturation; Proteins; Salts; Thiocyanates; Urea