Fig. 8.

Urea and high pressure results in different local unfolding states. The ensemble of dry (DM) and wet molten globule (WM) intermediates (I) in response to high pressure and urea are different according to NMR spectroscopy. A schematic of the push-and-pull hypothesis used to explain the mechanisms of the physical and chemical unfolding of proteins. Water molecules are indicated by red spheres, and urea molecules are indicated by yellow spheres. Arrows represent the inhomogeneous effect of pressure in contrast to that of urea.