Molten globular characteristics of the native state of apomyoglobin

Laura Lin, Rachel J. Pinker, Kirk Forde, George D. Rose, Neville R. Kallenbach

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Apomyoglobin, myoglobin lacking the haem group, is a natural intermediate in biosynthesis of myoglobin, and has some structural features in common with the haem-containing native state. Unfolding or refolding studies of apomyoglobin have identified a molten globule intermediate at acid pH. We show here that both the native state of apomyoglobin and the molten globule intermediate have highly plastic structures. Substitution of single amino acids on the surface or in the interior of helices in the native protein produce dramatic changes in the helix content and tryptophan emission of apomyoglobin at neutral and acidic pH. The signals from the intermediate and native apomyoglobin correlate closely suggesting that apomyoglobin itself has a molten globule-like character, its structure representing a population of interconverting substates rather than a fixed conformation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)447-452
Number of pages6
JournalNature Structural Biology
Volume1
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1994

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Structural Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Genetics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Molten globular characteristics of the native state of apomyoglobin'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this