Monitoring folding/unfolding transitions of proteins by capillary zone electrophoresis: measurement of deltaG and its variation along the pH scale.

Free-solution capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) can be used to monitor folding/unfolding transitions of proteins and to construct the classical sigmoidal transition curve describing this isomerization process. By performing a series of CZE experiments along the pH scale (here between pH 2.5 and 6.0) it is possible to measure the parameter [urea]1/2, which represents the concentration of urea at the midpoint of each transition curve, and its dependence from the local pH value. The [urea]1/2 parameter provides an idea of the stability of the protein at a given pH; in the case of cytochrome c, for example, it shows that at and below pH 2 the protein will spontaneously unfold even in the absence of a denaturant. The equation describing the sigmoidal folding/unfolding transition can be used for deriving the term deltaG degrees, which refers to the intrinsic difference in the Gibb's free energy between the (total or partial) denatured state and the reference state, taken usually as the native configuration of a protein. The variation of deltaG degrees between the two extremes of our measurements (pH 2.5 and 6.0) along the stated pH interval has been measured (and theoretically calculated) to be of the order of 7-10 kcal/mol and is here interpreted by assuming that at pH 2.5 and below there is an additionally stretching of the polypeptide coil due to coulombic repulsion, as the unfolded chain looses its zwitterionic character and assumes a pure (or very nearly so) cationic surface. Given the minute amounts of sample required, the fully automated state of the analysis, the rapidity and ease of operation, it is hoped that the CZE technique will become more and more popular in the years to come for monitoring folding/unfolding transitions of proteins.

Folding/unfolding/refolding of proteins: present methodologies in comparison with capillary zone electrophoresis.

A series of techniques for monitoring protein folding/unfolding/misfolding equilibria are here assessed and compared with capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). They include spectroscopic techniques, such as circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, as well as techniques based on biological assays, such as limited proteolysis and immunochemical analysis of different conformational states. Some unusual probes, such as mass spectrometry for probing unfolding transitions, are also discussed. Size-exclusion chromatography is also evaluated in view of the fact that this technique, like all electrophoretic techniques, and unlike spectroscopic probes, which can only see an average signal in mixed populations, can indeed physically separate folded vs. unfolded macromolecules, especially in the case of slow equilibria. Particular emphasis is devoted to electrophoretic techniques, such as gel-slab electrophoresis in transverse urea or thermal gradients, and CZE. In the latter case, a number of applications are shown, demonstrating the excellent correlation of CZE with more traditional probes, such as intrinsic fluorescence monitoring. It is additionally shown that CZE can be used for measuring the deltaG degrees of unfolding over the pH scale, in good agreement with theoretical calculations on the electrostatic free energy of folding vs. pH, as calculated with a linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation. Finally, it is demonstrated that CZE can probe also aggregate formation in the presence of helix-inducing agents, such as trifluorethanol.

The state of the art of dynamic coatings.

The present review highlights the mechanisms of action and efficiency of three major classes of dynamic coatings so far adopted in capillary electrophoresis: (i) amines to oligo-amines, (ii) neutral synthetic and natural polymers, and (iii) neutral and zwitter-ionic surfactants. Their merits and efficacy have been explored in depth via a novel quantitation technique consisting of eluting, by frontal analysis, any adsorbed proteinaceous material, which can then be correctly quantified as a peak as it moves in front of the detector window. This is achieved by loading sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles onto the cathodic side and migrating them electrophoretically into the capillary lumen, where they efficiently sweep any adsorbed polypeptide material. It is found that a common trend, for all quenchers, is linked to a hydrophobicity scale: the more hydrophobic the inhibitor, the better it minimizes potential interactions of macromolecules with the wall. This seems to be true for all the classes of dynamic modifiers tested. Finally, we describe a novel, dynamic to static quencher: it is a quaternary piperazine, bearing a reactive iodine atom at the end of a butyl tail (N(methyl-N-omega-iodo-butyl),N'-methyl piperazine). This molecule first binds to the wall, at alkaline pH values, via ionic and hydrogen bonds. Once docked onto the wall, the reactive tail forms a covalent link with the silica surface, to which it then remains permanently affixed.

Quantitative studies on the adsorption of proteins to the bare silica wall in capillary electrophoresis. III: Effects of adsorbed surfactants on quenching the interaction.

The efficacy of two classes of surfactants, non-ionic and zwitterionic, in quenching the interaction of proteins with the naked silica wall in capillary electrophoresis, is evaluated. The class of non-ionic detergents is found to be rather inefficient in preventing protein binding to the fused-silica surface, since large amounts (up to 10%) are required for reducing such interactions by 90%. Conversely, zwittergents appear to be much more efficient, since, in the case of sulphobetain SB-16, 90% binding inhibition is achieved at a concentration of surfactant of only 0.3%. In this last case, it is found that the binding inhibition closely follows the values of critical micellar concentrations (CMCs) of the various surfactants, those having the lowest CMC value exhibiting the highest inhibition power. The CMC values also follow a hydrophobicity scale, suggesting that the most hydrophobic zwittergents are the ones that shield more efficiently the silica surface.

Monitoring equilibria and kinetics of protein folding/unfolding reactions by capillary zone electrophoresis.

A method is described here for studying conformational transitions of proteins due to denaturing agents: capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) in acidic, isoelectric buffers. The sample is run in 50 mM isoelectric glutamic acid (pH = pI = 3.2) added with 1 mM oligoamine (tetraethylene pentamine) for quenching protein interaction to the capillary wall (final pH = 3.3). Muscle acylphosphatase (AcP), in this buffer, exhibited a free solution mobility of 2.63 x 10(-4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). By studying the unfolding kinetics, as a function of time of incubation in 7 M urea, it was possible to measure the rate constant of the unfolding reaction, estimated to be 0.00030+/-0.00006 s(-1). The same measurements, when repeated via spectroscopic monitoring of intrinsic fluorescence, gave a value of 0.00034+/-0.00002 s(-1), thus in excellent agreement with CZE data. By equilibrium unfolding CZE studies, it was possible to construct the typical sigmoidal transition of unfolding vs urea molarity: the midpoint of this transition, at which the folded and unfolded states should be equally populated, was estimated to be at 4.56 M urea. Similar experiments by fluorometric analysis gave a value of 4.60 M urea as midpoint of the unfolding curve.

Quantitative studies on the adsorption of proteins to the bare silica wall in capillary electrophoresis. II. Effects of adsorbed, neutral polymers on quenching the interaction.

A novel method is reported for quantifying protein adsorption to naked silica tubings and for assessing the efficacy of polymers added to the background electrolyte as dynamic wall modifiers. It consisted of flushing a fluorescently-labelled protein (myoglobin) into a capillary equilibrated in Tris-acetate buffer, pH 5.0, until full saturation of the potential adsorbing sites. Desorption was then affected by electrophoretically driving sodium dodecyl sulphate micelles into the capillary from the cathodic reservoir: the peak of eluted material is quantified by using a dual laser beam instrument able to read the fluorescein isothiocyanate-derivatized myoglobin at 520 nm and the internal standard (sulphorodamine) at 630 nm. Four polymers have been assessed as potential quenchers of interaction of proteins with the silica wall: hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC, Mr = 1000000), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC, Mr = 27000), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA, Mr = 49000) and short-chain poly(dimethylacrylamide) [poly(DMA)] (average Mr ca. 150000). HPMC, poly(DMA) and PVA were effective in the 0.005 to 0.02% (w/v) range, whereas HEC was active in the 0.1 to 0.8% concentration range. All polymers, however, except for poly(DMA), exhibited a rather poor performance in suppressing protein interactions with the siliceous surface, and could inhibit adsorption only by, at most, 50% (contrary to oligoamines which can quench such interactions by >90%). It is hypothesized that dynamically adsorbed polymers leave ample regions of the capillary inner surface unmasked, thus allowing strong interactions of proteins with the silica wall. This is also confirmed by the modest reduction of electroendoosmotic flow upon polymer adsorption, as compared with an untreated silica surface. Although poly(DMA) can inhibit protein adsorption by as much as 85%, its hydrophobic nature could in turn provide more adsorption sites for less hydrophilic proteins than myoglobin.

Protein adsorption to the bare silica wall in capillary electrophoresis quantitative study on the chemical composition of the background electrolyte for minimising the phenomenon.

A novel method is reported for quantifying protein adsorption to naked silica tubings and for assessing the efficacy of amino quenchers added to the background electrolyte. It consists of flushing a fluorescently-labelled protein (myoglobin) into a capillary equilibrated in Tris-acetate buffer, pH 5.0, until full saturation of the potential adsorbing sites. Desorption is then affected by driving electrophoretically sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micelles into the capillary from the cathodic reservoir: the peak of eluted material is quantified fluorometrically by using a dual laser beam instrument able to read the fluorescein-isothiocyanate-labelled myoglobin at 520 nm and the internal standard (sulphorodamine) at 630 nm. As potential quenchers, a series of monoamines have been investigated (triethylamine, triethanolamine, ethylamine), followed by diamines (putrescine, cadaverine and hexamethonium bromide) and finally by oligoamines [spermidine, spermine and TEPA (tetraethylenepentamine), i.e., a tri- a tetra- and a pentamine, respectively]. Two values of molarities have been derived: a value at 50% (a kind of a dissociation constant) and a value at 90% inhibition of binding of macromolecules to the silica surface. According to these figures of merit, mono- and diamines are rather poor quenchers of interaction with the wall, since the 50% values are of the order of 50-100 mM and the 90% values reach as high as 560 mM. On the contrary, oligoamines, especially spermine and TEPA, are most effective, since the 50% molarities are in the sub-millimolar range and the 90% values are of the order of ca. 1 mM. Figures of merit have also been derived for different washing procedures. Those most commonly adopted in routine practice, i.e., of washing with either 1 M NaOH or with 1 M HCl, or with both, leave behind traces of proteins still bound to the wall, whereas the SDS micelle electrophoretic desorption seems to be 100% effective.

Capillary electrophoresis of peptides and proteins in isoelectric buffers: an update.

Capillary electrophoresis in acidic, isoelectric buffers is a novel methodology allowing fast protein and peptide analysis in uncoated capillaries. Due to the low pH adopted and to the use of dynamic coating with cellulose derivatives, silanol ionization is essentially suppressed and little interaction of macromolecules with the untreated wall occurs. In addition, due to the low conductivity of quasi-stationary, isoelectric buffers, high-voltage gradients can be applied (up to 800 V/cm) permitting fast peptide analysis with a high resolving power due to minimal diffusional peak spreading. Four such buffers are here described: cysteic acid (Cys-A, pI 1.85), iminodiacetic acid (IDA, pI 2.23), aspartic acid (Asp, pI 2.77) and glutamic acid (Glu, pI 3.22). A number of applications are reported, ranging from food analysis to the study of folding/unfolding transitions of proteins.