Small-angle X-ray scattering reveals differences between the quaternary structures of oxygenated and deoxygenated tarantula hemocyanin

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) curves have been recorded for the oxygenated and deoxygenated states of the 4 x 6-meric hemocyanin from the tarantula Eurypelma californicum. A comparison of the curves shows that the quaternary structures of the two states are different by three criteria, which all indicate that the hemocyanin is less compact in the oxygenated compared to the deoxygenated form: (a) The radius of gyration is 8.65 +/- 0.05 nm for the deoxy- and 8.80 +/- 0.05 nm for the oxy-form. (b) The maximum particle dimension amounts to 25.0 +/- 0.5 nm for the deoxy- and to 27.0 +/- 0.5 nm for the oxy-form. (c) A dip in the intramolecular distance distribution function p(r) is more pro…