Conformational changes in ovalbumin at acid pH

Several physicochemical parameters of ovalbumin were examined at acid pH. The intrinsic viscosity and far UV-CD spectrum at pH 2 did not differ from those at pH 7. But the near UV-CD spectrum, difference absorption spectrum around 250-320 nm, and fluorescence spectrum showed micro-environmental changes around the aromatic amino acid residues in acid solution. The reactivity of one of the four sulfhydryl groups with 2,2'-dithiodipyridine increased at pH below 5. The rate of denaturation by urea and that of surface tension decay were high in the low pH range. We concluded that at low pH (around 2), ovalbumin molecules kept their native globular conformation, but that their chain flexibility increased and they were very susceptible to denaturation. This state might be equivalent to the molten-globule state observed with some globular proteins in acidic region.