The interaction of holo- and apo-forms of human alpha-lactalbumin with fatty acids was studied by a partition equilibrium method. Apo-alpha-lactalbumin, obtained by treatment with EDTA, displays one binding site for fatty acids, the association constants for oleic and palmitic acids being 1.9.10(6) and 4.2.10(5) M(-1), respectively. However, holo-alpha-lactalbumin was unable to bind fatty acids as measured by this technique. Likewise, no fatty acids bound to holo-alpha-lactalbumin, isolated using nondenaturing conditions, were detected by gas chromatography. These results demonstrate that the conformational change induced in alpha-lactalbumin by the removal of calcium enables the protein to interact with fatty acids.
Héctor Fernández‐ÁlvarezJavier Fernández‐Álvarez
Robert J. KohlenbergJonathan W. KanterMavis TsaiCristal E. WeeksCristal E. WeeksUniversidad de Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Bárbara Dinorah Hidalgo MartínezViorkis Pérez OrtízMaría Caridad Olivera CardosoLidia López ArísticaLiset Betancourt CastellanosMario Augusto Loor Navarrete
Maria LopezMaría Sánchez MuñozAlejandra Trujillo BorregoLuis Sánchez Bonome
ALBERTO ESCAÑO GONZÁLEZDAVID DEL RÍO LARAMARÍA INMACULADA DE LA MATA SÁNCHEZ DE MEDINA