Estimation of the stability of globular proteins

The interpretation of Δ G (the free energy change for the reaction, globular conformation ⇋ randomly coiled conformation, in the absence of denaturant), in terms of the free energies of transfer of various parts of the protein molecule from water to denaturant solution, is unsatisfactory because the latter are assumed to be identical to the transfer‐free energies of similar groups attached to smaller model compounds. We have made empirical adjustments to transfer‐free energy theory that make possible linear extrapolation of the free energy of denaturation of a protein from transition region to zero denaturant concentration. The modified theory, used to analyze the denaturation of proteins by guanidine hydrochloride and urea, allowed us to calculate reasonable values for Δα, the average change in accessibility to solvent of the component groups of protein.