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PubMed2003

Whale meat again.

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Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Three-state analysis of sperm whale apomyoglobin folding.

We give a quantitative description of the urea- and acid-induced transitions of apomyoglobin at 0 degree C and 2 mM sodium citrate. Our data consist of two series of unfolding curves: (1) acid-induced unfolding carried out in the presence of various concentrations of urea and (2) urea-induced unfolding at various pH values. A three-state equation is derived which relates the stability of three different conformations of apomyoglobin (native [N], unfolded [U], and intermediate [I]) as a function of urea and of pH. This equation fits our data reasonably well. The parameters which give the best fit have both thermodynamic and structural implications for N, I, and U. Specifically, I is closer in Gibbs energy to U than to N, indicating that side-chain packing results in much of the stability of native protein structure. The equilibria between N and I and between I and U are equally sensitive to urea, suggesting that much of the surface of I is inaccessible to solvent. The acid-induced transition in which N unfolds can be described as the result of titration of approximately two histidines with low pKaS in N. Under physiological conditions (neutral pH, no urea) I is the most stable non-native conformation.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Aliphatic semisynthetic variants of the amino-terminal residue of sperm whale myoglobin: enrichment with 13C and determination and interpretation of terminal pK values.

The synthesis of a series of myoglobins substituted in the amino-terminal residue to provide variation in the aliphatic nature of the side chain and enrichment in 13C was accomplished by semisynthetic methods. The replacements for valine, the native first residue, included 13C-enriched glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine. The products were extensively characterized and found to be virtually indistinguishable by most physical methods. 13C NMR spectroscopy showed significant differences in the amino-terminal pK value, ranging from 7.72 for [Gly1]myoglobin to 7.15 for [Leu1]myoglobin. Consideration of the electrostatic effects of the charge matrix indicated a balance of interactions at this site not significantly altered by these variations in the side chain. By examination of the crystal structure, consideration of earlier work regarding the interactions of the side chain of Leu-2, and data regarding the motions of the terminal residue, it was concluded that the interaction of the side chain of the first residue with the hydrophobic cluster formed primarily by close contact of invariant residues Leu-2 and Leu-137 was the primary cause for the reduction in terminal pK values seen for the larger aliphatics. By restricting the freedom of the residue, this interaction limits the available hydration volume and consequently favors the unprotonated form of the amine. The concurrent observation of both functional elements in the series of alpha-amino-terminal residues brings out the interrelated consequences for the two categories of solvent interactions controlling structural and functional properties in a graded way.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Assignment of selected hyperfine proton NMR resonances in the met forms of Glycera dibranchiata monomer hemoglobins and comparisons with sperm whale metmyoglobin.

This work indicates a high degree of purity for our preparations of all three of the primary Glycera dibranchiata monomer hemoglobins and details assignments of the heme methyl and vinyl protons in the hyperfine shift region of the ferric (aquo?) protein forms. The assignments were carried out by reconstituting the apoproteins of each component with selectively deuteriated hemes. The results indicate that even though the individual component preparations consist of essentially a single protein, the proton NMR spectra indicate spectroscopic heterogeneity. Evidence is presented for identification and classification of major and minor protein forms that are present in solutions of each component. Finally, in contrast to previous results, a detailed analysis of the proton hyperfine shift patterns of the major and minor forms of each component, in comparison to the major and minor forms of metmyoglobin, leads to the conclusion that the corresponding forms of the proteins from each species have strikingly similar heme-globin contacts and display nearly identical heme electronic structures and coordination numbers.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Structural significance of the amino-terminal residues of sperm whale myoglobin.

Following the development of a nondestructive synthetic procedure for rapid production of des-Val1-myoglobin in large quantities, the synthesis of a series of myoglobin derivatives varying in structure and charge in the NH2-terminal region was accomplished. In comparison to the untreated myoglobin, the des-Val1-myoglobin was found to possess at low pH a decreased stability and an increased net positive charge in the pH range 5.5-8.5. While the elevated net positive charge was no longer apparent after removal of the second residue, the instability of the molecule was found to be sharply increased. Substitutions of the first residue, directed toward elucidating its structural importance, included glutamic acid, lysine, and glycine. Addition of any of the three amino acids to the des-Val1-myoglobin was found to restore much of the acid stability, with the [Gly1]myoglobin appearing nearly identical with the native molecule. All three semisynthetic myoglobins showed potentiometric titration curves characteristic of their respective, substituted residue. Carbamylation of the NH2 terminal of myoglobin and des-Val1-myoglobin yielded two nearly identical molecules in terms of all physical properties examined. Consequently, it was concluded that the first residue primarily serves the function of maintaining the positively charged NH2 terminus a certain distance away from the beginning of the A helix and from the charge pair interaction of Lys-133 with Glu-6. In addition, through physical measurements of the des-Val1,Leu2-myoglobin prior and subsequent to carbamylation of the NH2 terminus, it was apparent that the stabilization conferred on the des-Val1-myoglobin by the second residue was dependent to a large degree upon the hydrophobic interactions of its side chain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗