The importance of quaternary structure in the expression of the C1-binding site of IgM.

The ability of C1 to bind to the Fc5mu-fragment of a monoclonal IgM was determined by means of a haemolytic C1-inhibition assay. Fc5mu fragments were produced by trypsin digestion at five different temperatures ranging from 54-62 degrees (2 degrees increments) and were purified by immunoadsorption through a column of monospecific anti-Fabmu and by molecular exclusion chromatography. Analytical ultracentrifugation showed the final preparations to be free of aggregates. A plot of mug Fc5mu required to inhibit 50% of available C1 versus temperatures of production of the fragment yielded a curve with a minimum at 58-60 degrees. Upon mild reduction and alkylation of these Fc5mu fragments their C1-fixing capacity became approximately the same irrespective of temperature of production. Fc5mu was also prepared at 25 degrees in the presence of 5 M urea, purified by immunoadsorption as before and aliquots then exposed to temperatures ranging from 40-70 degrees (5 degrees increments) for 15 min. After aggregates had been removed by chromatography a similar minimum in C1-fixation was again observed at 60 degrees. Reduction and alkylation once more abolished these differences. Fc5mu and its reduced and alkylated subunits, produced at 60 degrees and then exposed to various concentrations of urea (0-7 M) for 24 hd did not yield a minimum in C1 fixation. Reduced and alkylated Fcmu incubated at various temperatures (40-70 degrees) also did not fix C1 differentially. Examination in the near and far u.v. region of the circular dichroism spectra of different Fc5mu preparations showed a gradual loss of structure associated with restricted aromatic chromophores and secondary (beta) structure with increased temperature. Urea denaturation had a more pronounced and irreversible effect on Fc5 mu conformation. These changes could not be correlated with the CU-fixation patterns observed. It would therefore appear that elevated temperatures induce a static change in the pentameric FC-part of IgM which in turn directly influences or modulates the availability of the C1-binding site. The importance of disulphide bonds in maintaining these temperature-induced changes in Fc5mu was also indicated.