Protein precipitation and denaturation by dimethyl sulfoxide.

Solvent conditions play a major role in a wide range of physical properties of proteins in solution. Organic solvents, including dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), have been used to precipitate, crystallize and denature proteins. We have studied here the interactions of DMSO with proteins by differential refractometry and amino acid solubility measurements.

Suppression of protein interactions by arginine: a proposed mechanism of the arginine effects.

Arginine has been used to suppress protein aggregation and protein-protein or protein-surface interactions during protein refolding and purification. While its biotechnology applications are gradually expanding, the mechanism of these effects of arginine has not been fully elucidated. Arginine is more effective at higher concentrations, an indication of weak interactions with the proteins.

Preferential interactions of urea with lysozyme and their linkage to protein denaturation.

The interactions involved in the denaturation of lysozyme in the presence of urea were examined by thermal transition studies and measurements of preferential interactions of urea with the protein at pH 7.0, where it remains native up to 9.3 M urea, and at pH 2.

Polymerization and calcium binding of the tubulin-colchicine complex in the GDP state.

The tubulin-colchicine complex instead of tubulin was used in an imidazole buffer throughout experiments. The interaction with calcium was examined, especially in the GDP state. The high affinity sites of calcium took part in the polymerization of the complex in the GTP state, while the low ones participated in the depolymerization.

Thermodynamic binding and site occupancy in the light of the Schellman exchange concept.

An analysis of Schellman's treatment of preferential interactions is presented, as viewed by a laboratory practitioner of the art. Starting with an intuitive description of what binding is in terms of the distribution of molecules of water and of a weakly interacting ligand (co-solvent), Schellman proceeded to a rigorous thermodynamic definition in which he showed that classical, dialysis equilibrium, binding is a purely thermodynamic quantity. Putting water and the co-solvent on an equivalent footing, he showed that the classical binding treatment is inadequate for weakly interacting systems, in which the replacement of water by ligand and exclusion of co-solvent are symmetrical concepts.