The effects of salts on the subunit structure and dissociation of Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin.

The effects of the neutral salts of the Hofmeister series, NaCl, NaClO4, MgCl2, NaI, and also guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn-HCl)on the subunit organization and the state of association of Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin were examined by light scattering molecular weight measurements. The subunit dissociation of the parent duodecameric structure of 3 x 10(6) molecular weight by various salts is similar in pattern to the sequential splitting of the associated protein to half-molecules of hexamers of 1.5 x 10(6) molecular weight, followed by further dissociation at higher reagent concentration to monomers of 250000 molecular weight. Duodecamer to hexamer dissociation is observed in 0.4 M MgCl2, 1-2 M NaCl, and 1 M Gdn-HCl, while hexamer to monomer dissociation is seen in the presence of 1 M MgCl2. All three species of duodecamers, hexamers, and monomers seem to be present in 1 M NaClO4. Further splitting of the monomers of A subunits to smaller B fragments of one-third to one-quarter molecular weight is observed in 1 M NaI solutions. Optical rotation in the peptide region and absorption measurements in the Soret region indicate the salt dissociation of Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin is not accompanied by major changes in the folding of the subunits, except in the case of the strong protein denaturant, Gdn-HCl. Relative to the dissociation effects of the urea series of compounds reported in the preceding paper (Herskovits and Harrington, 1975), the neutral salts appear to be much more effective dissociating agents for L. terrestris hemoglobin. This suggests that polar and ionic interactions are relatively more important for the maintenance of the protein than hydrophobic interactions. This conclusion is also supported by calculations of the possible effects of binding of NaClO4, based on the Setschenow constants of the literature describing the interaction of salts with the peptide and hydrophobic alkyl group of the average amino acid found in proteins, on the standard free energy of dissociation of the duodecamer to hexamer.