RADIATION-INDUCED AGGREGATION OF PROTEINS - BINDING OF AMINO-ACIDS TO MYOGLOBIN

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 33  (3-4) , 203-209
Abstract
When myoglobin [Mb] is irradiated in the presence of amino acids, the most radiation-reactive species, like the aromatic and sulfur-containing amino acids, will bind preferentially to the protein. The radiation-induced binding is strongly dependent on the concentration of protein and amino acid. Subsequent to irradiation of Mb in the presence of radioactively labeled tryptophan followed by tryptic hydrolysis, only a single radioactive spot was detected on the fingerprint. Binding of amino acids is thus not randomly distributed over the protein molecule but occurs at specific reactive sites.