Salt-induced detour through compact regions of the protein folding landscape

TY - JOUR

T1 - Salt-induced detour through compact regions of the protein folding landscape

AU - Otzen, Daniel E.

AU - Oliveberg, Mikael

PY - 1999/10/12

Y1 - 1999/10/12

N2 - In several cases, inorganic salts have been used to induce partly structured states in protein folding. But what is the nature of these states: Do they represent key stepping stones in the folding process, or are they circumstantial pitfalls in the energy landscape? Here we report that, in the case of the two-state protein S6, the salt-induced collapsed state is off the usual folding routes in the sense that it is prematurely collapsed and slows down folding by several orders of magnitude. Although this species is over- compact, it is not a dead-end trap but may fold by alternative channels to the native state.

AB - In several cases, inorganic salts have been used to induce partly structured states in protein folding. But what is the nature of these states: Do they represent key stepping stones in the folding process, or are they circumstantial pitfalls in the energy landscape? Here we report that, in the case of the two-state protein S6, the salt-induced collapsed state is off the usual folding routes in the sense that it is prematurely collapsed and slows down folding by several orders of magnitude. Although this species is over- compact, it is not a dead-end trap but may fold by alternative channels to the native state.

KW - 2-state

KW - Collapse

KW - Intermediate

KW - Protein engineering

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032718386&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1073/pnas.96.21.11746

DO - 10.1073/pnas.96.21.11746

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 10518521

AN - SCOPUS:0032718386

SN - 0027-8424

VL - 96

SP - 11746

EP - 11751

JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

IS - 21

ER -