Unraveling the impact of pH on the crystallization of pharmaceutical proteins: a case study of human insulin
Author(s)
Link, Frederik J
Heng, Jerry YY
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
One of the most crucial parameters in protein crystallization is pH, as it governs the protein’s electrostatic interactions. However, the fundamental role of pH on crystallization still remains unknown. Here, we systematically investigated the crystallization of human insulin (isoelectric point 5.3) at various pHs between 6.0 and 6.7 at different supersaturation ratios, up to 20.9. Our results demonstrate that the pH has an opposing effect on solubility and nucleation rate as a shift in pH toward a more basic milieu increases the solubility by 5-fold while the onset of nucleation was accelerated by a maximum of 8.6-fold. To shed light on this opposing effect, we evaluated the protein–protein interactions as a function of pH by measuring the second virial coefficient and hydrodynamic radius and showed that a change in pH of less than one unit has no significant impact on the protein–protein interactions. As it is widely understood that the increase in protein solubility as a function of pH is due to the increase in the repulsive electrostatic interactions, we have demonstrated that the increase in insulin solubility and decrease in the onset of nucleation are independent of the protein–protein interactions. We hypothesize that it is the electrostatic interactions between both ions and solvent molecules and the protein residues that are governing the crystallization of human insulin. The findings of this study will be of crucial importance for the design of novel crystallization pathways.
Date Issued
2022-05-04
Date Acceptance
2022-03-15
Citation
Crystal Growth and Design, 2022, 22 (5), pp.3024-3033
ISSN
1528-7483
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Start Page
3024
End Page
3033
Journal / Book Title
Crystal Growth and Design
Volume
22
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2022 American Chemical Society
License URL
Identifier
https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000812563900001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
2ND VIRIAL-COEFFICIENT
Chemistry
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
CRYSTAL NUCLEATION
Crystallography
DYNAMIC LIGHT-SCATTERING
HEXAMER
KINETICS
LYSOZYME
Materials Science
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
PEPTIDE
Physical Sciences
Science & Technology
SOLUBILITY
STABILITY
Technology
THERMODYNAMICS
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2022-04-12