Solution properties of the variant surface glycoprotein of Trypanosoma brucei

The solution properties of the membrane form and soluble form of variant surface glycoproteins from Trypanosoma brucei have been compared. Solution cross-linking studies established that both forms are dimers, although dissociation of membrane-form variant surface glycoprotein can be promoted by certain ionic and zwitterionic detergents. Sedimentation coefficients were measured under a range of conditions, and the results were comparable with the results of solution cross-linking. Stokes radii were measured by gel filtration, allowing a value for the frictional coefficient to be calculated. The two forms show no differences other than those consistent with binding of detergent micelles to the hydrophobic moiety present on membrane form surface glycoprotein. This validates the use of soluble variant surface glycoprotein in X-ray crystallography experiments.