Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

The anionic surfactant sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) plays a variety of roles with regard to protein conformation, depending on its concentration. SDS at low concentrations mostly induces the compaction of protein (folding). Examples of this include: the molten globule state of acid-unfolded cytochrome c, associated with enhancement of the exothermic enthalpy values of isothermal titration calorimetry and a reversible profile by differential scanning calorimetry; the enzyme activation and compaction of Aspergillus niger catalase, and relationship of calorimetric enthalpy (D H_cal) to van’t Hoff enthalpy (D H_VH), which proves the existence of intermolecular and intramolecular interaction during enzyme activation by SDS; the production of a new energetic domain for human apotransferrin and folded state for histone H₁ by SDS. SDS at moderate concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (cmc) is a potent denaturant for protein in solution. Protein denaturation is a key method in thermodynamics and binding site analysis and can be used to enhance our understanding of the protein structure-function relationship. The interaction between protein and surfactant, such as SDS, at the cmc level is a complicated interaction, thermodynamically, that should bring about enthalpy correction through micellar dissociation and micelle dilution.