Binding of sodium n-dodecyl sulphate and protons to catalase

The binding of sodium n-dodecyl sulphate to catalase has been measured by equilibrium dialysis in the pH range 3.2 to 10.0. On the acid side of the isoelectric point (pH 5.4) the surfactant anions initially bind to cationic sites on the protein and subsequent binding is cooperative. At high pH on the alkaline side of the isoelectric point only cooperative binding is observed. The binding data have been combined with protein titration curves to calculate the Gibbs energies of formation of protein titration curves to calculate the Gibbs energies of formation of protein surfactant proton complexes. Contributions to the Gibbs energies of complex formation by surfactant and protein binding have been estimated. The average Gibbs energies of surfactant binding to specific cationic sites are ca. 28 kJ mol^?1 and for cooperative binding ca. 15 kJ mol^?1.