Physicochemical characterization of the alkaline denaturation of cytochrome c peroxidase

The alkaline denaturation of cytochrome c peroxidase and apocytochrome c peroxidase was investigated by analytical ultracentrifugation, gel-filtration chromatography, and circular dichroism. The results indicate that both cytochrome c peroxidase and the apoenzyme undergo extensive structural modifications upon exposure to alkaline pH, including dimer formation. The midpoint of the transition for dimer formation in the native enzyme occurs at pH 9.6 +/- 0.1, while loss of tertiary and secondary structure occurs with transition midpoints at pH 10.3 +/- 0.1 and pH 11.3 +/- 0.1, respectively. Studies performed in the presence of dithiothreitol and with carboxymethylated cytochrome c peroxidase indicate that dimer formation occurs via a disulfide crosslink involving the single cysteine residue in the enzyme. Denaturation of cytochrome c peroxidase in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride gave results similar to those obtained for the alkaline denaturation.     

Thermodynamic analysis of the increased stability of major histocompatibility complex class II molecule I-Ek complexed with an antigenic peptide at an acidic pH

The differential scanning calorimetry analysis of the murine major histocompatibility complex class II molecule, I-E(k), in complex with an antigenic peptide derived from mouse hemoglobin, showed that the thermal stability at the mildly acidic pH is higher than that at the neutral pH. Although the thermal unfolding of I-E(k)-hemoglobin was irreversible, we extracted the equilibrium thermodynamic parameters from the kinetically controlled heat capacity curves. Both the denaturation temperatures and the enthalpy changes were almost independent of the heating rate over 1 degrees C per min. The linear relation between the denaturation temperature and the calorimetric enthalpy change provided the heat capacity changes, which are classified into one for the mildly acidic pH region and another for the neutral pH region. The equilibrium thermodynamic parameters showed that the increased stability at the mildly acidic pH is because of the entropic effect. These thermodynamic data provided new insight into the current structural model of a transition to an open conformation at the mildly acidic pH, which is critical for the peptide exchange function of major histocompatibility complex class II in the endosome.     

Unfolding kinetics of glutathione reductase from cyanobacterium Spirulina maxima

The kinetics of the irreversible unfolding of glutathione reductase (NAD[P]H:GSSG oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.4.2.) from cyanobacterium Spirulina maxima was studied at pH 7.0 and room temperature. Denaturation was induced by guanidinium chloride and the changes in enzyme activity, aggregation state, and tertiary structure were monitored. No full reactivation of enzyme was obtained, even after very short incubation times in the presence of denaturant. Reactivation plots were complex, showing biphasic kinetics. A very fast early event in the denaturation pathway was the dissociation of tetrameric protein into reactivatable native-like dimers, followed by its conversion into a nonreactivatable intermediary, also dimeric. In the final step of the unfolding pathway the latter was dissociated into denatured monomers. Fluorescence measurements revealed that denaturation of S. maxima glutathione reductase is a slow process. Release of the prostethic group FAD was previous to the unfolding of the enzyme. No aggregated species were detected in the unfolding pathway, dismissing the aggregation of denatured polypeptide chains as the origin of irreversibility. Instead, the transition between the two dimeric intermediates is proposed as the cause of irreversibility in the denaturation of S. maxima glutathione reductase. A value of 106.6 +/- 3 kJ mol(-1) was obtained for the activation free energy of unfolding in the absence of denaturant. No evidence for the native monomer in the unfolding pathway was obtained which suggests that the dimeric nature of glutathione reductase is essential for the maintenance of the native subunit conformation.     

Effect of pH on the conformation of diphtheria toxin and its implications for membrane penetration

The pH-triggered change in diphtheria toxin conformation and the physical properties of the toxin above and below the transition pH have been examined. Exposure to low pH (less than or equal to 5 at 23 degrees C, less than or equal to 5.3 at 37 degrees C) triggers a rapid (t1/2 less than 30 s) change in toxin conformation; the transition occurs over a narrow pH range (0.2 unit). Below the transition pH, buried tryptophans become exposed, and the toxin becomes hydrophobic, binding very tightly to detergent. Aggregation is observed at low pH, probably due to this extreme hydrophobicity. Circular dichroism and fluorescence properties show that the low-pH conformation is not extensively unfolded. Therefore, the toxin "opens" at low pH without becoming a random coil. The conformation change is partly irreversible, and the degree of irreversibility parallels the degree of aggregation. Reduction of the disulfide bonds does not increase hydrophobicity at neutral pH. Furthermore, none of the structural variants of toxin (monomer or dimer, bound to ApUp or free, and nicked between subunits or intact) are hydrophobic at neutral pH or differ in transition pH markedly. Therefore, these factors do not mimic the effect of low pH. These observations are consistent with a functional role for the pH-triggered changes during penetration of the membranes of acidic organelles. The toxin may have adapted a conformational change similar to partial denaturation for a critical role in function. The possible nature of the pH-sensitive interactions and the effects of aggregation are discussed briefly.     

Association-dissociation and denaturation behaviour of an oligomeric seed protein alpha-globulin of Sesamum indicum L. in acid and alkaline solutions.

The association-dissociation and denaturation behaviour of the major protein fraction, alpha-globulin of sesame seed (Sesamum indicum L.), in acid and alkaline solutions in the ranges of pH 4.2-1.5 and pH 7-12 have been studied. The results of gel filtration, fluorescence and viscosity measurements indicate dissociation and denaturation of the protein up to pH approximately 3. The difference spectrum in this region arises from a combination of dissociation, denaturation and charge effect on the chromophore. In still stronger acid solution, reassociation of the dissociated fraction takes place by hydrophobic interaction. In alkaline solution dissociation takes place around pH 8, and above pH 10 dissociation and denaturation proceed simultaneously as has been evidenced by sedimentation, fluorescence, spectral change, optical rotation and viscosity measurements. The phenolic group (pKInt=10.6) in the protein is abnormal and denaturation in alkaline solution is irreversible. Above pH 11.5 further dissociation of the protein takes place. Characteristic pH values of transition from 10.6-10.8 indicate that the transition of the protein involves a single step in alkaline solution.     

Reversibility of thermal transitions in proteins: Racemization and aggregation as factors in the reversible denaturation of a soluble keratin derivative (SCMKA)

The reversibility of the thermal denaturation of a low-sulfur fraction of solubilized wool keratin (SCMKA) has been studied under a variety of conditions of time, protein concentration, and pH. Two types of irreversibility for the transition have been encountered. One of these is associated with an aggregation of the protein on denaturation to give a product which may contain elements of a β conformation. This type of irreversibility is favored by high protein concentration, and the original conformation may in fact be regained if the aggregated structure is broken down by a solvent such as 8M urea and the urea subsequently removed by dialysis. The other type of irreversibility appears to be due to racemization of the protein. It does not seem to be dependent on protein concentration and is apparent only at temperatures beyond the actual transition range (～40–65°C) at pH values below 11, At pH 12, however, racemization appears to proceed slowly even at 4°C. The thermal transition at pH 9 and pH 10 has been shown to be multistage in nature. Over the pH range 9–12 there is a progressive decrease in thermal stability with increase of pH. Addition of NaCl at pH 10 leads to an increase in thermal stability of the molecule.     

pH-dependent changes in the tryptophan and porphyrin fluorescence of the apomyoglobin complex with protoporphyrin IX and methemoglobin

The fluorescence of protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) complexed with sperm whale apomyoglobin as well as the tryptophan fluorescence of this complex and of metmyoglobin within the pH range of 3.5-13 was studied. It was shown that an increase in pH from 5.3 to 10.8 does not influence the fluorescence of PPIX in the complex and causes no essential changes in the fluorescence of Trp residues, which occur at more acidic and, correspondingly, alkaline pH values simultaneously with the protein denaturation. This is accompanied by a sharp increase in the quantum yield of tryptophan fluorescence due to dissociation of PPIX from the complex. Similar changes are observed in metMb at pH less than 4.3 and greater than 12 which is concomitant with absorption changes in the Soret band, thus indicating a higher stability of metMb towards the acid and alkaline denaturation as compared to the complex. In both cases, a slight alteration in the shape of the tryptophan fluorescence spectrum is observed, which precedes alkaline denaturation of the Mb molecule and is probably due to changes in the conformation of the N-terminal region caused by the break of the salt bridges stabilizing the native structure of the protein.     

Conformational stability of spectrin and fodrin

The conformational stability of erythrocyte spectrin and brain spectrin-like protein (fodrin) has been studied by circular dichroism. In agreement with previous reports the circular dichroism spectra of both proteins in the peptide region were almost identical. The essential differences, on the other hand, were found in the near u.v. range, most probably due to differences in the conformation of intrachain disulphide bonds. Heat denaturation curves, relating to the level of secondary structure (ellipticity at 221 nm) showed that fodrin is more stable than spectrin: curves of reversible as well as irreversible denaturation are shifted to higher temperatures and also the amount of alpha-helices in the denatured state is higher. Spectrin conformation was found to be very sensitive to the presence of water-soluble organic solvents; the denaturation curves exhibit maxima and minima not typical of protein isothermic denaturation. The observed low conformational stability of spectrin is discussed in the context of its molecular environment and function in the red cell membrane.     

Modulation of cooperativity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis NADPH-ferredoxin reductase: cation-and pH-induced alterations in native conformation and destabilization of the NADP+-binding domain

FprA, a Mycobacterium tuberculosis NADPH-ferredoxin reductase, consists of two structural domains, a FAD-binding and a NADP-binding domain, respectively. For the first time, we demonstrated that native FprA, on thermal treatment underwent partial denaturation with unfolding of only the FAD-binding domain and release of the protein-bound flavin. The NADP-binding domain of this protein is highly resistant to denaturation under these conditions. However, the presence of either 150 mM NaCl or KCl or 10 muM MgCl(2) or CaCl(2) or slightly acidic pH of 6.0 resulted in a highly cooperative and complete thermal unfolding of the protein. Physicochemical investigations showed that the monovalent cations or low concentrations of divalent cations induced compaction of the protein conformation. However, divalent cations at higher concentrations resulted in FAD release leading to stabilization of an enzymatically inactive apoenzyme. Detailed thermal denaturation studies on the native protein and the isolated NADP-binding domain showed that cations and pH 6.0 destabilized only the heat-stable NADP-binding domain. The experimental studies demonstrate that modulation of intramolecular ionic interactions induce significant conformational changes in the NADP-binding domain of FprA, resulting in a substantial increase in the structural cooperativity of the whole molecule. The results presented in this paper are of importance as they demonstrate alterations in the native three-dimensional structure of FprA and cooperativity in protein molecule on slight alteration of pH or modification of ionic interactions in protein.     

Conformational changes in ovalbumin at acid pH

Several physicochemical parameters of ovalbumin were examined at acid pH. The intrinsic viscosity and far UV-CD spectrum at pH 2 did not differ from those at pH 7. But the near UV-CD spectrum, difference absorption spectrum around 250-320 nm, and fluorescence spectrum showed micro-environmental changes around the aromatic amino acid residues in acid solution. The reactivity of one of the four sulfhydryl groups with 2,2'-dithiodipyridine increased at pH below 5. The rate of denaturation by urea and that of surface tension decay were high in the low pH range. We concluded that at low pH (around 2), ovalbumin molecules kept their native globular conformation, but that their chain flexibility increased and they were very susceptible to denaturation. This state might be equivalent to the molten-globule state observed with some globular proteins in acidic region.     

Metal ion-induced conformational changes in Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase.

Ultraviolet difference spectra are produced by the binding of divalent metal ions to metal-free alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1). The interaction of the apoprotein with Zn2+, Mn2+, Co2+ and Cd2+, which induce the tight binding of one phosphate ion per dimer, give distinctly different ultraviolet spectra changes from Ni2+ and Hg2+ which do not induce phosphate binding. Spectrophotometric titrations at alkaline pH of various metallo-enzymes reveal a smaller number of ionizable tyrosines and a greater stability towards alkaline denaturation in the Zn2+- and Mn2+-enzymes than in the Ni2+-, Hg2+- and apoenzymes. The Zn2+- and Mn2+-enzymes have CD spectra in the region of the aromatic transitions that are different from the CD spectra of the Ni2+-, Hg2+- and apoenzymes. Modifications of arginines with 2,3-butanedione show that a smaller number of arginine residues are modified in the Zn2+-enzyme than in the Hg2+-enzyme. The presented data indicate that alkaline phosphatase from Escherichia coli must have a well-defined conformation in order to bind phosphate. Some metal ions (i.e. Zn2+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Cd2+), when interacting with the apoenzyme, alter the conformation of the protein molecule in such a way that it is able to interact with substrate molecules, while other metal ions (i.e. Ni2+ and Hg2+) are incapable of inducing the appropriate conformational change of the apoenzyme. These findings suggest an important structural function of the first two tightly bound metal ions in enzyme.     

Heme and pH-dependent stability of an anionic horseradish peroxidase

Horseradish peroxidase A1 thermal stability was studied by steady-state fluorescence, circular dichroism and differential scanning calorimetry at pH values of 4, 7 and 10. Changes in the intrinsic protein probes, tryptophan fluorescence, secondary structure, and heme group environment are not coincident. The T(m) values measured from the visible CD data are higher than those measured from Trp fluorescence and far-UV CD data at all pH values showing that the heme cavity is the last structural region to suffer significant conformational changes during thermal denaturation. However ejection of the heme group leads to an irreversible unfolding behavior at pH 4, while at pH 7 and 10 refolding is still observed. This is putatively correlated with the titration state of the heme pocket. Thermal transitions of HRPA1 showed scan rate dependence at the three pH values, showing that the denaturation process was kinetically controlled. The denaturation process was interpreted in terms of the classic scheme, N<-->U-->D and fitted to far-UV CD ellipticity. A good agreement was obtained between the experimental and theoretical T(m) values and percentages of irreversibility. However the equilibrium between N and U is probably more complex than just a two-state process as revealed by the multiple T(m) values.     

Fluorescence study of the conformational properties of myoglobin structure. 3. pH-dependent changes in porphyrin and tryptophan fluorescence of the complex of sperm whale apomyoglobin with protoporphyrin IX; the role of the porphyrin macrocycle and iron in formation of native myoglobin structure

The porphyrin and tryptophan fluorescence of sperm whale apomyoglobin complexed with protoporphyrin IX has been studied in the pH range 2-13. It has been shown that the fluorescence and absorption spectra of protoporphyrin incorporated into the heme crevice remain constant in the pH range 5.5-10.8 but change significantly at pH less than 5.5 and pH greater than 10.8, due to the acid and alkaline denaturation, respectively, of the complex accompanied by dissociation of protoporphyrin IX. At the same pH ranges, the quantum yield of tryptophanyl fluorescence increases sharply as a result of removal of protoporphyrin, acting as a quencher, from the complex. Other parameters of tryptophanyl fluorescence (maximum position, halfwidth and spectrum shape) change in the alkaline region as well. In the acidic pH range, these parameters change only at pH less than 4.3, indicating that the Trp surroundings are more stable to denaturation than the heme crevice region. Between pH 5.5 and 10.9, where the complex of apomyoglobin with protoporphyrin IX is in its native state, the main parameters of tryptophan fluorescence remain unchanged except for the ratio I325/I350 which diminishes at pH greater than 9.5. Its alteration precedes the alkaline denaturation of the complex and can be explained by a local conformational change induced by the break of the 'salt bridges' essential for the maintenance of the native Mb structure in the N-terminal region. The fluorescence data obtained for apomyoglobin, myoglobin and the complex between protoporphyrin IX and apomyoglobin enable one to compare their structures and to evaluate the role of the porphyrin macrocycle and the iron atom in the formation of the native myoglobin structure and its functioning.     

Thermal denaturation of Micrococcus lysodeikticus adenosine triphosphatase. Influence of temperature on the circular dichroism, fluroescence and enzymic activity of the protein.

The soluble ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) from Micrococcus lysodeikticus underwent a major unfolding transition when solutions of the enzyme at pH 7.5 were heated. The midpoint occurred at 46 degrees C when monitored by changes in enzymic activity and intrinsic fluorescence, and at 49 degrees C when monitored by circular dichroism. The products of thermal denaturation retained much secondary structure, and no evidence of subunit dissociation was detected after cooling at 20 degrees C. The thermal transition was irreversible, and thiol groups were not involved in the irreversibility. The presence of ATP, adenylyl imidodiphosphate, CaCl2 or higher concentrations of ATPase conferred stability against thermal denaturation, but did not prevent the irreversibility one denaturation had taken place. In the presence of guanidinium chloride, thermal denaturation occurred at lower temperatures. The midpoints of the transition were 45 degrees C in 0.25 M-, 38 degrees C in 0.5 M-and 30 degrees C in 0.75 M-denaturant. In the highest concentration of guanidinium chloride a similar unfolding transition induced by cooling was observed. Its midpoint was 9 degrees C, and the temperature of maximum stability of the protein was 20 degrees C. The discontinuities occurring the the Arrhenius plots of the activity of this enzyme had no counterpart in variations in the far-u.v. circular dichroism or intrinsic fluorescence of the protein at the same temperature.     

Conformational stability of porcine serum transferrin.

The conformation of porcine serum ferric transferrin (Tf) and its stability against denaturation were studied by circular dichroism. Tf was estimated to have 19-24% alpha-helix and 50-55% beta-sheet based on the methods of Chang et al. (Chang, C.T., Wu, C.-S.C., & Yang, J.T., 1978, Anal. Biochem. 91, 13-31) and Provencher and Glöckner (Provencher, S.W. & Glöckner, J., 1981, Biochemistry 20, 33-37). Removal of the bound ferric ions (apo-Tf) did not alter the overall conformation, but there were subtle changes in local conformation based on its near-UV CD spectrum. The Tfs were stable between pH 3.5 and 11. Denaturation by guanidine hydrochloride (Gu-HCl) showed two transitions at 1.6 and 3.4 M denaturant. The process of denaturation by acid and base was reversible, whereas that by Gu-HCl was partially reversible. The irreversible thermal unfolding of Tfs began at temperatures above 60 degrees C and was not complete even at 80 degrees C. The bound irons (based on absorbance at 460 nm) were completely released at pH < 4 or in Gu-HCl solution above 1.7 M, when the protein began to unfold, but they remained intact in neutral solution even at 85 degrees C. The NH2- and COOH-terminal halves of the Tf molecule obtained by limited trypsin digestion had CD spectra similar to the spectrum of native Tf, and the COOH-terminal fragment had more stable secondary structure than the NH2-terminal fragment.     

Studies on C-phycocyanin from Cyanidium caldarium, a eukaryote at the extremes of habitat

C-Phycocyanin, a biliprotein, was purified from the red alga, Cyanidium caldarium. This alga grows at temperatures up to 57 degrees C, a very high temperature for a eukaryote, and at pH values down to 0.05. Using the chromophores on C-phycocyanin as naturally occurring reporter groups, the effects of temperature on the stability of the protein were studied by circular dichroism and absorption spectroscopy. The protein was unchanged from 10 to 50 degrees C, which indicates that higher temperatures are not required to cause the protein to be photosynthetically active. At 60 and 65 degrees C, which are above the temperatures at which the alga can survive, the protein undergoes irreversible denaturation. Gel-filtration column chromatography demonstrated that the irreversibility is caused by the dissociation of the trimeric protein to its constitutive polypeptides. Upon cooling, the alpha and beta polypeptides did not reassemble to the trimer. Unlike phycocyanins 645 and 612, the C-phycocyanin does not show a reversible conformational change at moderately high temperatures. At constant temperature, the C-phycocyanin was more stable than a mesophilic counterpart. It is designated a temperature-resistant protein.     

Stability and physicochemical properties of the bovine brain phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein.

The equilibrium behaviour of the bovine phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) has been studied under various conditions of pH, temperature and urea concentration. Far-UV and near-UV CD, fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies indicate that, in its native state, PEBP is mainly composed of beta-sheets, with Trp residues mostly localized in a hydrophobic environment; these results suggest that the conformation of PEBP in solution is similar to the three-dimensional structure determined by X-ray crystallography. The pH-induced conformational changes show a transition midpoint at pH 3.0, implying nine protons in the transition. At neutral pH, the thermal denaturation is irreversible due to protein precipitation, whereas at acidic pH values the protein exhibits a reversible denaturation. The thermal denaturation curves, as monitored by CD, fluorescence and differential scanning calorimetry, support a two-state model for the equilibrium and display coincident values with a melting temperature Tm = 54 degrees C, an enthalpy change DeltaH = 119 kcal.mol-1 and a free energy change DeltaG(H2O, 25 degrees C) = 5 kcal.mol-1. The urea-induced unfolding profiles of PEBP show a midpoint of the two-state unfolding transition at 4.8 M denaturant, and the stability of PEBP is 4.5 kcal.mol-1 at 25 degrees C. Moreover, the surface active properties indicate that PEBP is essentially a hydrophilic protein which progressively unfolds at the air/water interface over the course of time. Together, these results suggest that PEBP is well-structured in solution but that its conformation is weakly stable and sensitive to hydrophobic conditions: the PEBP structure seems to be flexible and adaptable to its environment.     

pH stability of penicillin acylase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

The inactivation kinetics of penicillin acylase from Escherichia coli have been investigated over a wide pH range at 25 and 50 degrees C. The enzyme was very stable in neutral solutions and quickly lost its catalytic activity in acidic and alkaline solutions. In all cases, the inactivation proceeded according to first order reaction kinetics. Analysis of the pH dependence of enzyme stability provides evidence that stable penicillin acylase conformation is maintained by salt bridges. Destruction of the salt bridges due to protonation/deprotonation of the amino acid residues forming these ion pairs causes inactivation by formation of the unstable "acidic" EH(4)(3+), EH(3)(2+), EH(2)(+) and "alkaline" E(-) enzyme forms. At temperatures above 35 degrees C penicillin acylase apparently undergoes a conformational change that is accompanied by destruction of one of these salt bridges and change in the catalytic properties.     

Conformational study of globulin from rice (Oryza sativa) seeds by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

The conformation of rice globulin (10%, w/v, in deuterated phosphate buffer, pD 7.4) under the influence of pH, chaotropic salts, several protein structure perturbants and heat treatments was studied by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Rice globulin exhibited seven major bands in the region of 1700-1600 cm-1 and the spectrum suggests high alpha-helical content with large quantities of beta-sheet and beta-turn structures. Highly acidic and alkaline pH conditions induced changes in band intensity attributed to intermolecular beta-sheet structure (1681 and 1619 cm-1). Addition of chaotropic salts led to progressive changes in band intensity, following the lyotropic series of anions, whereas several protein structure perturbants caused shifts in band positions. Heating at increasing temperature led to progressive decreases in alpha-helical content and increases in random coil structures, suggesting protein denaturation. This was accompanied by intensity increases in the intermolecular beta-sheet transitions.     

Trehalose delays the reversible but not the irreversible thermal denaturation of cutinase

The effect of trehalose (0.5 M) on the thermal stability of cutinase in the alkaline pH range was studied. The thermal unfolding induced by increasing temperature was analyzed in the absence and in the presence of trehalose according to a two-state model (which assumes that only the folded and unfolded states of cutinase were present). Trehalose delays the reversible unfolding. The midpoint temperature of the unfolding transition (Tm) increases by 4.0 degrees C and 2. 6 degrees C at pH 9.2 and 10.5, respectively, in the presence of trehalose. At pH 9.2 the thermal unfolding occurs at higher temperatures (Tm is 52.6 degrees C compared to 42.0 degrees C at pH 10.5) and a refolding yield of around 80% was obtained upon cooling. This pH value was chosen to study the irreversible inactivation (long-term stability) of cutinase. Temperatures in the transition range from folded to unfolded state were selected and the rate constants of irreversible inactivation determined. Inactivation followed first-order kinetics and trehalose reduced the observed rate constants of inactivation, pointing to a stabilizing effect on the irreversible inactivation step of thermal denaturation. However, if the contribution of reversible unfolding on the irreversible inactivation of cutinase was taken into account, i.e., considering the fraction of cutinase molecules in the reversible unfolded conformation, the intrinsic rate constants can be calculated. Based on the intrinsic rate constants it was concluded that trehalose does not delay the irreversible inactivation. This conclusion was further supported by comparing the activation energy of the irreversible inactivation in the absence and in the presence of trehalose. The apparent activation energy in the absence and in the presence of trehalose were 67 and 99 Kcal/mol, respectively. The activation energy calculated from intrinsic rate constants was higher in the absence (30 Kcal/mol) than in the presence of trehalose (16 Kcal/mol), showing that kinetics of the irreversible inactivation step increased in the presence of trehalose. In fact, trehalose stabilized only the reversible step of thermal denaturation of cutinase.