Spectroscopic Characterization of Nonnative Conformational States of Cytochrome c

Abstract

Protein and heme structural changes of ferric and ferrous cytochrome c (Cyt-c) that are induced by electrostatic binding (e.g., liposomes, electrodes), by hydrophobic interactions (e.g., monomeric sodium dodecyl sulfate), by guanidium hydrochloride (GuHCl), and at low pH and high temperature were studied by UV−vis absorption, circular dichroism (CD), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and (surface-enhanced) resonance Raman [(SE)RR] spectroscopy. In a global spectral analysis, all species that differ with respect to the heme structure were identified and characterized in terms of the spin and ligation state of the heme as well as of protein secondary and tertiary structure changes. The results indicate that the upper part of the heme pocket including the Met-80 ligand is the most labile protein region such that this ligand is dissociated from the heme iron in all nonnative Cyt-c states. Among these states, there are two six-coordinated low-spin (LS) configurations with H2O or His-33 serving as the sixt...