Chemical unfolding of enolase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae exhibits a three-state model

Protein J. 2010 Jan;29(1):1-10. doi: 10.1007/s10930-009-9215-y.

Abstract

Enolase is a multifunctional protein that participates in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis and can act as a plasminogen receptor on the cell surface of several organisms, among other functions. Despite its participation in a variety of biological and pathophysiological processes, its stability and folding/unfolding reaction have not been fully explored. In this paper we present, the urea and GdnHCl-induced denaturation of enolase studied by means of fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopies. We found that enolase unfolds through a highly reversible pathway, populating a stable intermediate species in a range of experimental conditions. The refolding reaction also exhibits an intermediate state that might have a slightly more compact conformation compared to the unfolding intermediate. The thermodynamic parameters associated with the unfolding reaction are presented and discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Kinetics
  • Models, Molecular
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Folding*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / chemistry
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / enzymology*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / chemistry*

Substances

  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Phosphopyruvate Hydratase