The Quaternary Structure of Bovine alpha-Crystallin. Size and Charge Microheterogeneity: More than 1000 Different Hybrids?
- 1 November 1978
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in European Journal of Biochemistry
- Vol. 91 (2), 387-396
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1432-1033.1978.tb12691.x
Abstract
Cortial alpha-crystallin was size-fractionated by gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA22 and charge-fractionated by anion-exchange chromatography on DE-52 DEAE-cellulose using gradient elution. Electron microscopy demonstrates that both native and reassociated alpha-crystallin are heterogeneous populations of spherical or slightly ellipsoidal molecules with diameters of 13.5--16.0 nm (maximum at 14.0--15.0 nm) for native alpha-crystallin and 8.5--12.5 nm (maximum at 10.0--10.5 nm) for reassociated alpha-crystallin. An enormous charge heterogeneity of native alpha-crystallin was detected, which is shown to arise from variations in the stoichiometry of the 5 main types of subunits. The molar ratio of acidic chains (A2, A1 and A1/2-151) to basic chains (B2 and B1) varies from 70/30--80/20 (averaging about 3/1) and the amount of deamidated chains (A1 and B1) varies from 7--37%. Recombination of the subunits, after dissociation in 6 M urea, leads to a charge heterogeneity of reassociated alpha-crystallin very similar to that of native alpha-crystallin. Therefore, specific formation of pure A or B chain aggregates is not preferred. Instead, random combination of subunits is theoretically shown to be sufficient to describe the observed charge microheterogeneity of both reassociated and native alpha-crystallin. No obvious relationship exists between size and charge heterogeneity. Within these ranges of molecular weight and subunit composition there are more than 1000 different combinations of A2, A1, A1/2-151, B2 and B1 conceivable.Keywords
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