We report the complexation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with several dendrimers of different compositions mPEG-PAMAM (G3), mPEG-PAMAM (G4), and PAMAM (G4) at physiological conditions using constant protein concentration and various dendrimer contents. FTIR, CD, and fluorescence spectroscopic methods were used to analyze polymer binding mode, the binding constant, and the effects of dendrimer complexation on BSA stability and conformation. Structural analysis showed that dendrimers bind BSA via hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions with a number of bound polymers (n): 1.30 for mPEG-PAMAM-G3, 1.30 for mPEG-PAMAM-G4, and 1.0 for PAMAM-G4. The polymer-BSA binding constants were K(mPEG-G3) = 5.0 (+/-0.8) x 10(3) M(-1), K(mPEG-G4) = 1.0 (+/-0.3) x 10(4) M(-1), and K(PAMAM-G4) = 1.1 (+/-0.4) x 10(4) M(-1). Dendrimer binding altered BSA conformation with a major reduction of alpha-helix and an increase in random coil and turn structures, indicating a partial protein unfolding.