The binding of hydrogen ions to an acidic glycoprotein from bovine cortical bone.

The H(+) ion dissociation of bone sialoprotein in 0.2m-sodium chloride at 25 degrees was studied. The total content of carboxyl groups available for titration was calculated by comparing the titration curve with the titration curves of three model systems and by the use of analytical data. This comparison showed that 7.0 carboxyl groups/mol. do not participate in the titration, and it is proposed that these are aspartic acid or glutamic acid carboxyl groups present as amides; this is also indicated by titration of the sialoprotein after acid hydrolysis. The titration of carboxyl groups was found to agree well with the Linderstrøm-Lang equation for spherical macroions.