Biochemistry
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The present study on the fatty acid binding protein, purified from pig heart and studied by three independent techniques (electron spin resonance, circular dichroism, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), suggests that the protein self-aggregates and exists in at least four distinct molecular species. This plurality is demonstrated by the presence of four bands after electrophoretic migration at pH 7.2 and by three transitions of molar ellipticity theta 225 that depend on protein concentration. ⋯ A general equation for the curve is formulated, and the characteristic constants are evaluated by a nonlinear least-squares fit. The experimental results and their interpretation in quantitative terms lead to a theoretical evaluation of the importance of this new property of self-aggregation of the protein on the activity of membrane-bound model enzymes which are fatty acid or acyl coenzyme A dependent.