High pressure is known to possess a modulating effect on protein aggregation - both in terms of inhibition and triggering of this process. It is not yet clear, though, which particular stage on an aggregation pathway is addressed and affected by pressure. Pressure Perturbation Calorimetry (PPC), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and time-resolved FTIR have been employed to investigate aggregation of bovine insulin at low pH. As moderately high pressure of 30-40 MPa has been implicated to possess a strongly inhibiting effect on insulin aggregation, we were seeking to explain these changes monitoring volumetric effects on the aggregation pathway. PPC results show that the stage of actual, exothermic aggregation (seen in FTIR spectra as the appearance of non-native b-strands) is preceded by formation of the molten globule state and its unfolding. The unfolding is accompanied by a volume expansion of approx. 0.2 %. High pressure FTIR showed that under hyperbaric conditions the aggregation is blocked already at the first stage. Namely high-pressure prevents unfolding of insulin.

• Legal notice:
  

  Copyright (c) Pielaszek Research, all rights reserved.
  The above materials, including auxiliary resources, are subject to Publisher's copyright and the Author(s) intellectual rights. Without limiting Author(s) rights under respective Copyright Transfer Agreement, no part of the above documents may be reproduced without the express written permission of Pielaszek Research, the Publisher. Express permission from the Author(s) is required to use the above materials for academic purposes, such as lectures or scientific presentations.
  In every case, proper references including Author(s) name(s) and URL of this webpage: https://science24.com/paper/742 must be provided.

1. "Superstructures of protein-based amyloid nanofibrils as a scaffold material for SERS platforms"
2. Characterization of nanopowders
3. Combining microwave and pressure techniques for hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO and ZrO₂ nanopowders doped with a range of metal ions
4. Synthesis of nanowires and molecular devices through amyloidogenic self-assembly of proteins and peptides
5. An FT-IR Spectroscopic Investigation of Hydroxide Groups in Nano-Crystals of ZrO2.