Abstract
Rapid and robust methods are required to quantify the effect of hydrodynamic shear on protein conformation change. We evaluated such strategies in this work and found that the binding of the fluorescent probe 4,4′-dianilino-1,1′-binaphthyl-5,5′-disulfonic acid (bis-ANS) to hydrophobic pockets in the blood protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) is enhanced upon the application of fluid shear to the isolated protein. Significant structural changes were observed when the protein was sheared at shear rates ≥ 6000/s for ∼3.5 min. The binding of bis-ANS to multimeric VWF, but not dimeric VWF or control protein bovine serum albumin, was enhanced upon fluid shear application. Thus, high-molecular-weight VWF is more susceptible to conformation change upon tensile loading. Although bis-ANS itself did not alter the conformation of VWF, it stabilized protein conformation once it bound the sheared molecule. Bis-ANS binding to VWF was reduced when the sheared protein was allowed to relax before dye addition. Taken together with functional data in the literature, our results suggest that shear-induced conformation changes in VWF reported by bis-ANS correlate well with the normal function of the protein under physiological/pathological fluid flow conditions. Further, this study introduces the fluorescent dye bis-ANS as a tool that may be useful in studies of shear-induced protein conformation change.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.