Fluorescent probe of ribonuclease A conformation.

The reaction of ribonuclease (RNase) with N-[[(iodoacetyl)amino]ethyl]-5-naphthylamine-1-sulfonic acid (1,5-IAENS) yields a derivative in which one fluorescent group is covalently attached to the protein. Several arguments suggest that the chemical modification has occurred at the enzyme active site: (i) 1,5-IAENS should have the same specificity as iodoacetamide, i.e., carboxymethylate one histidine of the active site; (ii) the derivatized protein is enzymatically inactive; (iii) in the native state of the protein, the fluorescent group is (almost) completely protected from the aqueous solvent; (iv) this group has no motions other than those of the protein. The fluorescence properties of the derivatized RNase change markedly upon unfolding induced by guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn . HCl), as seen from fluorescence intensity, maximum emission wavelength, and polarization measurements. Upon Gdn . HCl-induced unfolding, the fluorescent group is transferred from a nonpolar to a highly polar environment. Dynamic fluorescence measurements show also that unfolding results in a markedly increased mobility of the fluorescent label with respect to its proteic environment. These results are compared to those of Young & Potts (1963) [Young, D. M., & Potts, J. T. (1963) J. Biol. Chem. 238, 1995--2002], who studied the fluorescence properties of a surface-labeled derivative of RNase.