About the albumin structure in solution: cigar Expanded form versus heart Normal shape

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2008 Dec 7;10(45):6741-50. doi: 10.1039/b808938h. Epub 2008 Sep 18.

Abstract

A structural comparison between the Normal and the Expanded isomers of the human serum albumin has been carried out by using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and light scattering (LS) techniques. Geometrical bodies, recovered structures (GA_STRUCT code) and rigid body modeling (CRYSOL and BUNCH software) were used to obtain low-resolution 3D structures from one-dimensional scattering patterns. These restored shapes were also exploited to perform a correlation between SAXS and LS data. By attempting a detailed description of globular and unfolded protein structures in solution, we tried to propose a suitable approach to follow the path of folding/unfolding processes and to isolate and characterize possible partially folded intermediate states.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Computer Simulation*
  • Humans
  • Light
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Conformation
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Scattering, Small Angle
  • Serum Albumin / chemistry*
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Serum Albumin