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Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Differential Scanning Calorimetry — A Method for Assessing the Thermal Stability and Conformation of Protein Antigen
Published on: March 4, 2017
Density discriminates between thermophilic and mesophilic proteins
Andrea Amadei1, Sara Del Galdo1, Marco D'Abramo2
1a Department of Chemical Science and Technology , University of Roma Tor Vergata , via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 , Roma , Italy.
Abstract:
Despite an intense interest and a remarkable number of studies on the subject, the relationships between thermostability and (primary, secondary and tertiary) structure of proteins are still not fully understood. Here, comparing the protein density - defined by the ratio between the residue number and protein excluded volume - for a set of thermophilic/mesophilic pairs, we provide evidence that this property is connected to the optimal growth temperature. In particular, our results indicate that thermophilic proteins have - in general - a lower density with respect to the mesophilic counterparts, being such a correlation more pronounced for optimal growth temperature differences greater than 40°C. The effect of the protein thermostability changes on the molecular shape is also presented.
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