Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

07:40
Multimer-PAGE: A Method for Capturing and Resolving Protein Complexes in Biological Samples
Published on: May 5, 2017
Summary
This study analyzes bilirubin complexes with enzymes like chymotrypsin and lysozyme using circular dichroism. Bilirubin-protein interactions were found to be similar across different proteins, including serum albumin.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Spectroscopy
- Protein-ligand interactions
Background:
- Bilirubin is a key metabolic byproduct.
- Understanding bilirubin's interactions with proteins is crucial for its biological role and potential therapeutic interventions.
- Previous studies have characterized bilirubin-serum albumin complexes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize bilirubin complexes with chymotrypsin, lysozyme, and apomyoglobin.
- To compare these interactions with those of bilirubin-serum albumin complexes.
- To investigate the displacement of bilirubin from apomyoglobin by ferriprotoporphyrin IX.
Main Methods:
- Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy in the visible region was employed.
- Complexes were formed in neutral aqueous solutions.
- Displacement assays were performed using ferriprotoporphyrin IX.
Main Results:
- Circular dichroism spectra revealed characteristic interactions between bilirubin and chymotrypsin, lysozyme, and apomyoglobin.
- The spectral features of these complexes were analogous to those of bilirubin-serum albumin complexes.
- Ferriprotoporphyrin IX was shown to displace bilirubin from its complex with apomyoglobin.
Conclusions:
- Bilirubin forms similar complexes with various proteins, including enzymes and serum albumin.
- The binding sites and interactions of bilirubin may share common features across different protein scaffolds.
- Ferriprotoporphyrin IX exhibits competitive binding with bilirubin for apomyoglobin.
Related Concept Videos
Protein Complex Assembly
Proteins can form homomeric complexes with another unit of the same protein or heteromeric complexes with different types. Most protein complexes self-assemble spontaneously via ordered pathways, while some proteins need assembly factors that guide their proper assembly. Despite the crowded intracellular environment, proteins usually interact with their correct partners and form functional complexes.
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
Conjugated Proteins
Simple proteins and protein complexes contain only amino acids. In contrast, many other proteins, called conjugated proteins, covalently bond with non-protein moieties.
Nucleoproteins are protein complexes that contain nucleic acids, categorized as deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNPs) or ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) respectively. The nucleosome is a typical example of a DNP where nuclear DNA is associated with histone proteins. The major antigen for the Covid-19 virus SARS-CoV is an RNP that is critical...
Nucleoproteins are protein complexes that contain nucleic acids, categorized as deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNPs) or ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) respectively. The nucleosome is a typical example of a DNP where nuclear DNA is associated with histone proteins. The major antigen for the Covid-19 virus SARS-CoV is an RNP that is critical...
Globular Proteins
In organisms, proteins are the most abundant macromolecules. They act as the building blocks of life and play various crucial roles in the body. Proteins can be broadly classified into two distinct subtypes based on their shape and solubilities: globular proteins and fibrous proteins.
Globular proteins serve many important physiological functions, such as acting as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be soluble in the aqueous...
Globular proteins serve many important physiological functions, such as acting as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be soluble in the aqueous...
Drug Distribution: Plasma Protein Binding
Drugs predominantly attach to plasma proteins, with only a small percentage remaining unbound. The unbound portion can be calculated as one minus the bound fraction. Acidic drugs form large, inactive complexes by reversibly binding to plasma albumin, which prevents them from diffusing across biological barriers. These drug-protein complexes act as reservoirs for the drugs. As the concentration of unbound drugs decreases, these complexes quickly dissociate to release the free drug, maintaining...
Bile
Bile is a crucial bodily fluid, characterized by its yellow-green color and alkaline nature. Produced in the liver, it is transported through the common hepatic duct into either the cystic duct, leading to the gallbladder, or directly into the common bile duct. The flow of bile is regulated by the sphincter of Oddi located at the entrance of the duodenum. When this sphincter is closed, bile is redirected to the gallbladder for storage and concentration.
Bile is released when dietary fats enter...
Bile is released when dietary fats enter...
Jaundice
Jaundice, or icterus, is the yellow discoloration of the skin, sclerae, and mucous membranes. It happens when plasma bilirubin levels rise above 2.5-3 mg/dL, leading to bilirubin deposition in tissue.Bilirubin is a byproduct of hemoglobin degradation. In macrophages, hemoglobin breaks down into globin and heme. Globin is converted into amino acids, while heme is turned into biliverdin by heme oxygenase, which is then reduced to unconjugated bilirubin by biliverdin reductase.Unconjugated...

