Abstract

The interactions between an oligomeric heat-shock protein, α-crystallin, and its individual subunits with unfolded proteins were monitored by surface plasmon resonance. Immobilization at the sensor chip allowed us for the first time to study isolated α-crystallin subunits under physiological conditions. We observe that these subunits, in contrast to α-crystallin oligomers, do not bind unfolded protein. Our data indicate that quaternary structure of α-crystallin is necessary for its chaperone-like activity.

Keywords: crystallin, small heat shock protein, chaperone-like activity, surface plasmon resonance