Isoelectric points of multi-domain proteins

Abstract

Although the distribution of protein isoelectric points is multi-modal, large proteins show isoelectric points less variable than small proteins and their isoelectric points tend to converge to a unique value, close to the pH of the milieu in which the proteins are functional, as far as the protein dimension increases. This study demonstrates that large proteins, which contain more than a single domain, do have isoelectric points less variable than small proteins, which contains a single domain. However, the distribution of the isoelectric points of the single domains, contained in large proteins, resembles that of small proteins, which contain a single domain. Thus, large proteins can be soluble even if their pI is very close to the pH of the milieu, in which they perform their function, since they can contain several domains, the electrostatic properties of each of which mirror those of small proteins.