We have performed a detailed study of methanol-induced
conformational transitions of horse heart apomyoglobin
(apoMb) to investigate the existence of the compact and
expanded denatured states. A combination of far- and near-ultraviolet
circular dichroism, NMR spectroscopy, and small-angle X-ray
scattering (SAXS) was used, allowing a phase diagram to
be constructed as a function of pH and the methanol concentration.
The phase diagram contains four conformational states,
the native (N), acid-denatured (UA),
compact denatured (IM), and expanded
helical denatured (H) states, and indicates that
the compact denatured state (IM) is
stable under relatively mild denaturing conditions, whereas
the expanded denatured states (UA and
H) are realized under extreme conditions of pH
(strong electric repulsion) or alcohol concentration (weak
hydrophobic interaction). The results of this study, together
with many previous studies in the literature, indicate
the general existence of the compact denatured states not
only in the salt-pH plane but also in the alcohol-pH plane.
Furthermore, to determine the general feature of the H
conformation we used several proteins including ubiquitin,
ribonuclease A, α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin,
and Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI) in
addition to apoMb. SAXS studies of these proteins in 60%
methanol showed that the H states of these all
proteins have expanded and nonglobular conformations. The
qualitative agreement of the experimental data with computer-simulated
Kratky profiles also supports this structural feature of
the H state.