Ligand-binding properties of proalbumin Christchurch

Proalbumin Christchurch, a circulating variant of human serum albumin, is secreted from the liver without cleavage of the hexapeptide situated at the N-terminal end of the peptide chain of proalbumin. We compared ligand-binding properties of proalbumin Christchurch and of normal albumin A from the same individual in order to test the effect of the presence of the hexapeptide. The two albumin forms exhibited similar affinities for palmitate, bilirubin, 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulphonate and Bromocresol Green. The patterns of endogenous fatty acids bound to the two forms of albumin were slightly different, although the differences were probably not of physiological significance. From these studies it would appear that the propeptide of proalbumin does not alter the protein conformation in such a way as to alter binding sites for organic anions.