A new method for testing the functional dependence of unfolding free energy changes on denaturant concentration

Denaturations of ribonuclease A, lysozyme, and cytochrome c by guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl), urea, and GdnHCl-urea mixture were studied at constant temperature and pH to assess the functional dependence of denaturational free energy change (delta GD) on denaturant concentration over an extended GdnHCl concentration range. Conventional analysis of GdnHCl-induced transition curve exhibits a linear plot of delta GD versus [GdnHCl] in the transition zone. To extend delta GD measurements beyond this narrow concentration range, GdnHCl-induced unfolding was measured in the presence of different concentrations of urea. delta GD values from these measurements were corrected for the effect of urea on the free energy change using the appropriate relation. The corrected delta GD data were mapped onto the delta GD versus [GdnHCl] plot. For each protein, the dependence of free energy change on denaturation was found to be linear over the full GdnHCl concentration.