Figure 5.

Reversibility of Cu²⁺-induced aggregation of αA-crystallin, G98R αA-crystallin, and their mixed oligomer. A solution containing 0.1 mg/ml of αA-crystallin, G98R αA-crystallin, or their mixed oligomer in buffer B was incubated for 30 min at 37 °C with 90, 30, or 90 μM of Cu²⁺, respectively. Reversibility of Cu²⁺-induced aggregation was monitored by relative decreases in light scattering of this solution after the addition of EDTA (200 μM). αA-crystallin is curve 1, G98R αA-crystallin curve 2, and their mixed oligomer curve 3. Cu²⁺-induced self-aggregation of G98RαA-crystallin is irreversible whereas that of αA-crystallin and the mixed oligomer is largely reversible.