The refolding of denatured rabbit muscle creatine kinase. Search for intermediates in the refolding process and effect of modification at the reactive thiol group on refolding.

A number of aspects of the refolding of denatured rabbit muscle creatine kinase have been studied. Addition of substrates has no effect on the rate or extent of regain of activity. The changes in protein fluorescence during refolding broadly parallel the regain of activity. A study of the susceptibility of the enzyme to proteolysis during refolding indicates that there is no significant accumulation of folded, but inactive, intermediates in the folding process. Modification of the reactive thiol group on each subunit of the enzyme by small reagents such as iodoacetate or iodoacetamide prior to denaturation has only a small effect on the rate of subsequent refolding. However, modification by the bulky reagent 6-(4-iodoacetamidophenyl)aminonaphthalene-2-sulphonate has a very large effect on the ability of the enzyme to refold after denaturation.