Dimerization of papain induced by mercuric chloride and a bifunctional organic mercurial.

The bifunctional mercurial meso-1,4-bis(acetatomercuri)-2,3-diethoxybutane and mercuric chloride are capable of dimerizing papain, by the attachment of the thiol group of two molecules of papain to each molecule of reagent. This is evident from the titration data, gel filtration and sedimentation equilibrium. The conformational change of papain necessary for this reaction is discussed.