The effects of hydrostatic pressure on the conformation of plasminogen.

Plasminogen undergoes a large conformational change when it binds 6-aminohexanoate. Using ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy and native PAGE, we show that hydrostatic pressure brings about the same conformational change. The volume change for this conformational change is -33 mL.mol-1. Binding of ligand and hydrostatic pressure both cause the protein to open up to expose surfaces that had previously been buried in the interior.