Hydrophobic surface properties of myosin in solution as studied by partition in aqueous two-phase systems: effects of ionic strength, pH and temperature

Aqueous two-phase systems for biomolecule separation

Over the past thirty years, aqueous polymer two-phase technology has evolved, both experimentally and theoretically, into a separation science with many useful applications in biomolecule purification and bioconversion. This paper summarizes the developments in the applications of aqueous two-phase systems to biotechnology. The main topics to be considered are the phase diagram and its characteristics, fundamentals of biomolecule partition, large-scale and multi-stage aqueous two-phase biomolecule purification, and extractive bioconversions. The first topic involves a discussion of the thermodynamics of aqueous polymer two-phase formation and how it is influenced by such factors as polymer molecular weight and concentration, temperature, and salt type and concentration. Next, the theoretical and experimental aspects of biomolecule partition in aqueous two-phase systems will be discussed in light of the factors which influence biomolecule partition: polymer concentration and molecular weight; temperature; salt type and concentration; the addition of charged, hydrophobic and affinity derivatives. Having reviewed the fundamentals of phase diagram formation and biomolecule partition, the next two topics are applications of aqueous two-phase technology. The first set of applications involve the large-scale extraction of proteins using one to three equilibrium stages and multi-stage purifications using countercurrent distribution, liquid-liquid partition chromatography and continuous countercurrent chromatography. The second application, and very promising area for future aqueous two-phase technology, is the extractive bioconversion which permits the simultaneous production and purification of a biomolecule.

The binding of 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) to fish myosin and the effect of salts on the thermal transitions of fish myosin-ANS complex

Myosin prepared from tilapia (Serotherodon aureus) was complexed with 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) and continuously heated at 1 degree C/min. A large increase in fluorescence was observed with a transition temperature of 34 degrees C. The effect of several salts on the transition temperature was tested. A plot based on the equation of E. E. Schrier and E. B. Schrier [(1967) J. Phys. Chem. 71, 1851-1860] gave a value of less than or equal to 500 cal/mol-deg for the change in enthalpy per residue due to exposure to solvent. The ratio of hydrophobic group to amide group exposure to solvent was intermediate compared with the ratio of RNase and gelatin. Fluorescence titrations yielded one high affinity site with a Kb of 2 X 10(6) M-1 and at least 200 low affinity sites with an average value of 1 X 10(5) M-1. The parameters did not change significantly with temperature. We propose that the increase in ANS fluorescence reflects changes in conformation of myosin as monitored by these low affinity sites, resulting in an increase in surface hydrophobicity and representing a small enthalpic change in the conformation of the myosin molecule. As a consequence, the change in conformation accelerates polymerization of myosin oligomers.