[Mechanism of the stabilizing effect of glucose on lysozyme in the crystalline state]

Viscoelastic properties of different lysozyme crystals were studied to elucidate the mechanism of stabilizing action of glucose. Glucose is shown to be able to bind to the lysozyme with the association constant K = 2,3 M-1 and to make the lysozyme molecule mechanically more rigid in the same manner as the specific competitive inhibitor (N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) does. It was concluded from the above and from competitive binding of glucose with N-acetyl-D-glucosamine that stabilizing effect of glucose on the lysozyme is due to its binding to at least two sites in the crevice of an active centre.