Conformation changes and dissociation of Fc fragments of rabbit immunoglobulin G as a function of pH.

1. The sedimentation coefficients of rabbit immunoglobulin G, four types of Fc fragments, univalent Fab and bivalent F(ab)(2) fragments were measured as a function of pH. 2. In conjunction with molecular-weight determinations by sedimentation equilibrium, and with the behaviour on gel filtration, this enabled the state of association of the Fc fragments to be followed. 3. The type possessing an interchain disulphide bond, 1Fc fragment, changed extensively in structure, but not in molecular weight. 4. There was good correlation between the readiness to dissociate and the chain length of the shorter Fc fragments that do not contain the interchain covalent bond. 5. The increasing resistance to dissociation as the fragments became shorter ran parallel with the ability to resist enzymic attack. 6. The site of the strong association between component chains of Fc fragment is located in the C-terminal half. 7. The gel-filtration behaviour of the Fc fragments clearly confirms that the process is governed by the Stokes radius rather than molecular weight. 8. The ultracentrifugal results were used to estimate the separations of the hydrodynamic subunits in intact immunoglobulin G, and as a basis for a schematic structure.