Mechanism of prevention of aggregation of proteins: a case study of aggregation of α-globulin in glycerol

Abstract

The precipitation of proteins due to the changes in pH has been a major limiting factor in their utility especially when the precipitation is concurrent with irreversible aggregation. In the present study, an attempt is made to see the effect of glycerol on the pH-induced aggregation of α-globulin which is the major protein fraction (11S) from Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seeds. A second order polynomial relation existed between the cosolvent concentration and precipitation which was prevented in presence of the cosolvent. Similarly, there was a second order polynomial relation between 8-anilino 1-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS) binding of the protein (as indicated by fluorescence emission at 466 nm) and the cosolvent concentration. The relative precipitation in presence of glycerol is however linearly proportional to the changes in surface hydrophobicity as seen by behavior of ANS with the protein in presence of the cosolvent. A possible role of the cosolvents in prevention of aggregation due to hydrophobicity of the protein is envisaged and the relation between the different parameters is discussed.