Protein-protein interactions in concentrated electrolyte solutions

Protein-protein interactions were measured for ovalbumin and for lysozyme in aqueous salt solutions. Protein-protein interactions are correlated with a proposed potential of mean force equal to the free energy to desolvate the protein surface that is made inaccessible to the solvent due to the protein-protein interaction. This energy is calculated from the surface free energy of the protein that is determined from protein-salt preferential-interaction parameter measurements. In classical salting-out behavior, the protein-salt preferential interaction is unfavorable. Because addition of salt raises the surface free energy of the protein according to the surface-tension increment of the salt, protein-protein attraction increases, leading to a reduction in solubility. When the surface chemistry of proteins is altered by binding of a specific ion, salting-in is observed when the interactions between (kosmotrope) ion-protein complexes are more repulsive than those between the uncomplexed proteins. However, salting-out is observed when interactions between (chaotrope) ion-protein complexes are more attractive than those of the uncomplexed proteins.