The reactivity of free amino groups in native and denatured ovalbumin towards fluorodinitrobenzene

Abstract

The reaction between ovalbumin and l-fluoro-2,4-dinitro-benzene was studied under various conditions. Progressive denatura-tion before reaction enables 3 types of [epsilon] -amino groups with different affinities for 1-fluoro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene to be detected. Glucose inhibits denaturation by urea and prevents the substitution of [epsilon]-amino groups beyond the minimal 3 groups. Ovalbumin contains no free terminal amino group. All the lysine residues are bound in [alpha]-peptide bonds. The significance of these results is discussed.