Distribution and structural behavior of hemoglobin between the two phases in SDS/n-C5H11OH/H2O system

In the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/n-pentanol (n-C5H11OH)/water (H2O) system, LL is the coexisting region of W/O and O/W or bicontinuous microemulsions. In the LL region, the system separates into two phases (the upper phase and the lower phase) spontaneously. The distribution and structural behavior of hemoglobin (Hb) between the upper and lower phases in SDS/n-C5H11OH/H2O system were studied by UV–vis and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The results indicate that different structures of the two phases bring the conformational change of Hb. The addition of Hb results in the redistribution of SDS between the upper and lower phases.

Graphical abstractThis figure shows that the peak position in the upper phase has no significant shift (∼402 nm), and the Soret band of Hb in the lower phase is gradually shifted from 412 to 403 nm around, which indicate that it mostly exists as heme monomer in the upper phase and hemichrome induced from SDS is partly converted to heme in the lower phase.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide