• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.167-170
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• 2006

Bovine adenosine deaminase undergoes a nondenaturational conformational change at $29^{\circ}C$ upon heating which is characterized by a large increase in heat capacity. We have determined the transition state thermodynamics of the conformational change using a novel application of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) which employs very slow scan rates. DSC scans at the conventional, and arbitrary, scan rate of $1^{\circ}C/min$ show no evidence of the transition. Scan rates from 0.030 to $0.20^{\circ}C/min$ reveal the transition indicating it is under kinetic control. The transition temperature $T_t$ and the transition temperature interval ${\Delta}T$ increase with scan rate. A first order rate constant $k_1$ is calculated at each $T_t$ from $k_1\;=\;r_{scan}/{\Delta}T$, where $r_{scan}$ is the scan rate, and an Arrhenius plot is constructed. Standard transition state analysis reveals an activation free energy ${\Delta}G^{\neq}$ of 88.1 kJ/mole and suggests that the conformational change has an unfolding quality that appears to be on the direct path to the physiological-temperature conformer.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.2723-2728
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• 2009

The conformational properties of oligosaccharides are important to understand carbohydrate-protein interactions. A trimannoside, methyl 3,6-di-O-($\alpha$-D-Man)-$\alpha$-D-Man (TRIMAN) is a basic unit of N-linked oligosaccharides. This TRIMAN moiety was further modified by GlcNAc (BISECT), which is important to biological activity of N-glycan. To characterize the trimannoside and its bisecting one we performed a molecular dynamics simulation in water. The resulting models show the conformational transition with two major and minor conformations. The major conformational transition results from the $\omega$ angle transition; another minor transition is due to the $\psi$ angle transition of $\alpha$ (1 $\rightarrow$ 6) linkage. The introduction of bisecting GlcNAc on TRIMAN made the different population of the major and minor conformations of the TRIMAN moiety. Omega ($\omega$) angle distribution is largely changed and the population of gt conformation is increased in BISECT oligosaccharide. The inter-residue hydrogen bonds and water bridges via bisecting GlcNAc residue make alterations on the local and overall conformation of TRIMAN moiety. These changes of conformational distribution for TRIMAN moiety can affect the overall conformation of N-glycan and the biological activity of glycoprotein.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 1996

The conformational transition of oligopeptide multimer,-(HPPHPPP)n-, is studied (H:hydrophobic amino acid, P:hydrophilic amino acid). The helix/coil transitions are detected in the multimer. The transition depends on the number of amino acid in the sequence, the concentration of the oligopeptide, and temperature which affects helix stability constant (${\xi}$) and hydrophobic interaction parameter (wj). In the thermodynamic equilibrium system jA${\rightarrow}$Aj (where A stands for oligopeptide monomer), Skolnick et al., explained helix/coil transition of dimer by the matrix method using Zimm-Bragg parameters ${\xi}$ and $\sigma$ (helix initiation constant). But the matrix method do not fully explain dangling H-bond effects which are important in oligopeptide systems. In this study we propose a general theory of conformational transitions of oligopeptides in which dimer, trimer, or higher multimer coexists. The partition of trimer is derived by using zipper model which account for dangling H-bond effects. The transitions of multimers which have cross-linked S-S bonds or long chains do not occur, because they keep always helical structures. The transitions due to the concentration of the oligopeptides are steeper than those due to the chain length or temperature.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.60-66
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• 1982

In relation to denaturation of proteins, thermally induced conformational change of poly(D-glutamic acid) was studied in the presence of poly(vinyl alcohol) at low pH, where poly(D-glutamic acid) undergoes a helix-to-${\beta}$ transition without any other polymer. In a dilute solution, poly(vinyl alcohol) enhanced the ${\alpah}-to-{\beta}_1$ transition of poly(D-glutamic acid) due to intermolecular interaction between the two polymers. On the other hand, this conformational change was interrupted to a large extent in a concentrated solution, due to the interpenetration of poly(vinyl alcohol) chain into poly(D-glutamic acid) chain which prevented the intramolecular association of poly(D-glutamic acid) chain. A conformational change from ${\beta}_1\;to\;{\beta}_2$ of poly(D-glutamic acid) was observed for the films obtained by casting during annealing the mixture solutions. The ${\beta}_2$ content in the cast film increased with increasing poly(vinyl alcohol) content in the mixture.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.166-172
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• 2006

This is a short review article of our recent studies on the ATP-induced, allosteric conformational transition of the chaperonin GroEL complex by solution X-ray scattering. We used synchrotron X-ray scattering with a two-dimensional, charge-coupled, device-based X-ray detector to study (1) the specificity of the chaperonin GroEL for its ligand that induced the allosteric transition, and (2) the identification of the allosteric transition of GroEL in its complicated kinetics induced by ATP. Due to the dramatically increased sensitivity of the X-ray scattering technique based on the use of the two dimensional X-ray detector and synchrotron radiation, different allosteric conformational states of GroEL populated under different conditions were clearly distinguished from each other. It was concluded that solution X-ray scattering is an extremely powerful tool for investigating the equilibrium and kinetics of cooperative conformational transitions of oligomeric protein complex, especially when combined with other spectroscopic techniques such as fluorescence spectroscopy.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.247-253
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• 1999

Chicken egg ovalbumin is a non-inhibitory member of the serpin (serine protease inhibitors) family whose members share a common tertiary fold. In the present study, we succeeded in high-level production of a disulfide-free form of refolded recombinant ovalbumin. Conformational characterization of the recombinant ovalbumim revealed that it is well-folded, following two-state unfolding transition with the midpoint of transition at 4.7 M at $25^{\circ}C$. This value is very close to that of the reduced form of authentic ovalbumin. The recombinant ovalbumin can serve as a model molecule of non-inhibitory serpins in comparative studies with inhibitory members of the serpin family.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.114-119
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• 2000

Effects of ethanlo treatment on the structural and thermal characteristics of regenerated Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin (RSF) were investigated. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry showed that the conformational transition of RSF might be affected by concentration of ethanol and its treatment time. The structure of RSF was rapidly changed from random coil to $\beta$-sheet conformation when RSF was treated with les than 75% ethanol concentration. However, RSF treated with ethanol(100%) did not show conformational change. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that exotherm at 232$\^{C}$ disappeared and the intensity of endotherm at 228$\^{C}$ decreased with treatment of 75% ethanol. Dynamic thermal analysis showed that loss modulus (E") and tan $\delta$$\_$E/ of RSF treated with aqueous ethanol was broaden and shifted to higher temperature in comparison with those of untreated RSF.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.73-73
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• 2003

We report here the results on N-acetyl-N'-methylamide of alanine (Ac-Ala-NHMe) calculated using the ab initio molecular orbital method with the self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) theory at the HF level with the 6-3l+G(d) basis set to investigate the conformational preference of alanine depending on the backbone torsion angles $\square$ and$\square$ in the gas phase, chloroform, and water. There are seven local minima (LM) in the gas phase and two additional LM are found in chloroform and water. These two additional LM A (an $\square$-helical structure) and F (a polyproline structure) are stabilized only in solutions. In the gas phase, the lowest LM is the conformation C with a C$\sub$7/ intramolecular hydrogen bond and the relative conformational energies range from 0.3 to 6.0 ㎉/mol. In chloroform, the lowest LM is the conformation E (an extended structure) and the relative conformational energies range from 0.7 to 4.9 ㎉/mol. In particular, we identified 14 possible transition states connecting between seven LM in the gas phase. The search for transition states probable in chloroform and water is now in progress.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.205-211
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• 2007

The stability curve - a plot of the Gibbs free energy of unfolding versus temperature - is calculated for bovine erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase in 150 mM sodium phosphate (pH = 7.0) from a combination of reversible differential scanning calorimetry measurements and isothermal guanidine hydrochloride titrations. The enzyme possesses two stable folded conformers with the conformational transition occurring at ~30$^{\circ}C$. The methodology yields a stability curve for the complete unfolding of the enzyme below this temperature but only the partial unfolding, to the molten globule state, above it. The transition state thermodynamics for the low- to physiological-temperature conformational change are calculated from slow-scan-rate differential scanning calorimetry measurements where it is found that the free energy barrier for the conversion is 90 kJ/mole and the transition state possesses a substantial unfolding quality. The data therefore suggest that the x-ray structure may differ considerably from the physiological structure and that the two conformers are not readily interconverted.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.922-928
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• 1997

The conformational transition of poly(L-proline) (PLP), Form Ⅱ → Form Ⅰ and the intermolecular aggregation of the product, Form Ⅰ, during and after the transition in water-propanol (1:7, 1:9, 1:15.7, and 1:29 v/v) were studied. For the study, the viscosity change and excess light scattering intensity were measured in the course of the transition which was determined by the Form Ⅰ fraction, fI of the sample solution. For the PLP sample of molecular weight Mv=31,000 the experimental results show that the reaction course is roughly divided into three regions: in the first region [fI=0.27 to 0.40 (- [α]D=400 to 330)], the conformational change of Form Ⅱ → Form Ⅰ occurs with decrease of viscosity, in the second region [fI=0.40 to 0.80 (- [α]D=330 to 120)], a partial side-by-side (p-S-S) type aggregation in which Form Ⅰ blocks interact with each other, which induces the increase of viscosity, starts to occur, and in the third region [fI=0.80 to 1.00 (- [α]D=120 to 15)], a side-by-side type (raft like) aggregation of Form Ⅰ or an end-to-end (E-E) type aggregation occurs according to the solvent situation, i.e., in a water-rich medium [water-propanol (1:9 or 1:7 v/v)], the (S-S) type aggregation with a gross decrease in viscosity occurs while in a water-poor medium [water-propanol (1:29 or 1:15.7 v/v), the (E-E) type aggregation with a large increase in viscosity occurs. The (S-S) type aggregation was promoted at high temperatures. Based on the structure of PLP, a reasonable mechanism for the (p-S-S) and (S-S) aggregation which occurs with the transition of Form Ⅱ → Form Ⅰ is considered. The suggested mechanism was also supported by the result of chain length effect of PLP for the aggregation.