Origin of Tryptophan Fluorescence Lifetimes. Part 2: Fluorescence Lifetimes Origin of Tryptophan in Proteins

Fluorescence intensity decays of L-tryptophan in proteins dissolved in pH 7 buffer, in ethanol and in 6 M guanidine pH 7.8 and in lyophilized proteins were measured. In all protein conditions, three lifetimes were obtained along the emission spectrum (310–410 nm). The two shortest lifetimes are in the same range of those obtained for L-Trp in water or in ethanol. Thus, these two lifetimes originate from specific two sub-structures existing in the excited state and are inherent to the tryptophan structure independently of the surrounding environment (amino acids residues, solvent, etc.) In proteins, the third lifetime originates from the interactions that are occurring between tryptophan residues and neighboring amino acids. Populations of these lifetimes are independent of the excitation wavelength and thus originate from pre-defined sub structures existing in the excited state and put into evidence after tryptophan excitation. Fluorescence decay studies of different tripeptides having a tryptophan residue in second position show that the best analysis is obtained with two fluorescence lifetimes. Consequently, this result seems to exclude the possibility that peptide bond induces the third fluorescence lifetimes. Indole dissolved in water and/or in ethanol emits with two fluorescence lifetimes that are completely different from those observed for L-Trp. Absence of the third lifetime in ethanol demonstrates that indole behaves differently when compared to tryptophan. Thus, it seems not adequate to attribute fluorescence lifetime or fluorescence properties of tryptophan to indole ring and to compare tryptophan fluorescence properties in proteins to molecules having close structures such as NATA which fluoresces with one lifetime.     

Origin of Tryptophan Fluorescence Lifetimes Part 1. Fluorescence Lifetimes Origin of Tryptophan Free in Solution

Fluorescence intensity decays of L-tryptophan free in polar, hydrophobic and mixture of polar-hydrophobic solvents were recorded along the emission spectrum (310–410 nm). Analysis of the data show that emission of tryptophan occurs with two lifetimes in 100 % polar and hydrophobic environments. The values of the two lifetimes are not the same in both environments while their populations (pre-exponentials values) are identical. Fluorescence lifetimes and pre-exponentials values do not change with the excitation wavelength and thus are independent of excitation energy. Our results indicate that tryptophan emission occurs from two specific sub-structures existing in the excited state. These sub-structures differ from those present in the ground states and characterize an internal property and/or organization of the tryptophan structure in the excited state. By sub-substructure, we mean here tryptophan backbone and its electronic cloud. In ethanol, three fluorescence lifetimes were measured; two lifetimes are very close to those observed in water (0.4–0.5 ns and 2–4 ns). Presence of a third lifetime for tryptophan in ethanol results from the interaction of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic dipoles or chemical functions of ethanol with the fluorophore.     

L-半胱氨酸包覆纳米ZnS荧光探针在测定人血清中蛋白质的应用

利用胶体化学方法合成和表征了功能性L-半胱氨酸包覆的ZnS纳米粒子。 在pH 5.12的NaAc-HAc水溶液介质中,当Δλ=190 nm时L-半胱氨酸包覆ZnS纳米粒子于268.0 nm处出现同步荧光峰。一定量蛋白质的加入能明显增强体系的荧光强度,并且峰强度增加值与蛋白质浓度间存在良好的线性关系,据此建立了一种高灵敏度的测定微量蛋白质的方法。用L-半胱氨酸包覆ZnS纳米粒子作为探针,不仅克服了有机染料可能出现的光漂白等缺点,而且本身不具毒性。将该法用于人血清试样中总蛋白的测定, 其结果与临床数据一致。     

Origin of Fluorescence Lifetimes in Human Serum Albumin. Studies on Native and Denatured Protein

Human serum albumin consists of a single polypeptide of 585 amino acid residues with 1 Trp residue. In the present work, we measured fluorescence lifetimes of the protein in both native and denatured states. The results indicate that Trp emission occurs with three lifetimes in both states. Lifetimes values and contribution to the global emission decay differ between the two states. Data are interpreted as the results of an emission occurring from three substructures of the tryptophan formed in the excited state. Two of these substructures are already present for the tryptophan free in solution. The third lifetime is the result of the interaction between the tryptophan residue and surrounding microenvironment. The populations of these substructures characterized by the pre-exponential parameters of the fluorescence lifetimes are dependent on the fluorophore microenvironment and on the global protein structure.     

Asymmetrical Distribution of Intrinsic Fluorescence Lifetimes in Proteins

Dynamic fluorescence measurements of proteins in solution are often interpreted in terms of continuous distributions of lifetimes, which reflect the intrinsic structural heterogeneity of these systems. In several cases a single Gaussian or Lorentzian symmetric distribution has been used to fit the data. In this paper we describe a new nonsymmetric Lorentzian function which contains three free parameters (the center, the left, and the right widths) like the double-discrete exponential model (the two lifetimes and one preexponential factor). Simulated data in the frequency domain have been used to compare the fits obtained with these different approaches, introducing a new parameter, , which quantitatively measures the asymmetry of the distribution or the ratio of the two preexponential factors, in the continuous and discrete models, respectively. Real measurements of a mixture of independent fluorophores, as well as of protein fluorescence decays, have also been performed and analyzed in terms of the new asymmetric function. The data have also been fitted with traditional discrete methods (such as the two- and the three-exponential decay) and with another asymmetric function, namely, the skewed Gaussian distribution.     

荧光光谱分析超氧化物歧化酶的构象变化及其功能

通过荧光光谱研究了枯草芽孢杆菌超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的分子构象在不同浓度盐酸胍、尿素以及不同pH条件下的变化及其与功能的关系.结果表明,SOD构象与功能的变化与其荧光光谱的变化有明显的对应关系.随着盐酸胍浓度的增加,SOD发射峰红移,荧光强度不断下降,且这两种变化同步发生;酶则出现快失活慢变构现象.而利用尿素变性SO...     

铕-吡哌酸时间分辨荧光法检测DNA含量

在pH值为7.2的Tris-HCl缓冲溶液中,铕与吡哌酸反应形成配合物。该体系中加入鲱鱼精DNA分子作用后荧光强度显著增强,并且在一定浓度范围内,DNA浓度与其荧光强度呈良好的线性关系,据此建立了一种简单的测定DNA的时间分辨荧光分析新方法。考查了体系的时间分辨荧光光谱,通过与普通荧光光谱的对比突显了采用时间分辨荧光法的优势,并对反应条件进行了优化。该方法对DNA的检测限为0.03 mg·L-1(3σ),对浓度为4.0 mg·L-1的DNA进行11次平行测定,其相对标准偏差为0.3％。DNA的浓度在0.1～6.0 mg·L-1范围内与荧光强度呈良好的线性关系,线性方程为：ΔI=89.58c(mg·L-1)+0.920 5,线性相关系数r=0.999 6。此方法已应用于合成样品中DNA的测定,结果和加标回收率令人满意。     

甲苯胺蓝荧光猝灭法测定核酸

以甲苯胺蓝为荧光探针,基于DNA对甲苯胺蓝的荧光猝灭作用,建立了一种定量测定DNA的新方法。在pH 8.5的Tris-HCl缓冲溶液中,测定小牛胸腺DNA的线性范围为0.1～6.0 μg·mL-1,检测限为27 ng·mL-1。该方法应用于实际样品樟树嫩叶中的DNA含量的测定,获得了满意结果。     

Pyrene Fluorescence as a Probe for the Monitoring of Polymerization Processes: Simultaneous DSC and Fluorescence Study

The polymerization of cyclohexylmethacrylate was monitored, over a wide temperature range, by simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fluorimetry (FL); the equipment for both being optically coupled. Pyrene was used as a fluorescent probe. There was excellent agreement between the exothermic peak time obtained by DSC and the time at which the maximum gradient was obtained in the fluorescence intensity–time curves, but only for temperatures above 60°C, Activation energies for the gel effect onset were obtained for both, the conversion–time and intensity–time curves being concordant except for data at low temperatures, below 60°C. It was concluded that vitrification occurs at temperatures below 60°C and its presence was demonstrated by fluorimetry, by means of the conversion change associated with the fluorescence intensity jump_(off-on).     

荧光光谱法研究盐酸胍浓度不同时变性胰蛋白酶的构象变化

蛋白变性过程中间体的存在是蛋白变性及复性动力学研究中不可缺少的证据。以胰蛋白酶为模型蛋白 ,用荧光光谱法系统地研究了在不同浓度变性剂盐酸胍存在时胰蛋白酶构象的变化 ,并与活性数据进行了对比。发现胰蛋白酶荧光光谱发射波长随变性剂盐酸胍浓度增大而逐渐增大 ,并且当盐酸胍浓度达到 2mol·L- 1 时胰蛋白酶的最大发射波长达到最大值 ,其后随盐酸胍浓度的增大最大发射波长反而逐渐减小 ,当盐酸胍浓度大于 3mol·L- 1 呈现不变的趋势。也就是说 ,在低浓度变性剂环境下 ,胰蛋白酶存在着一个与天然态和完全变性态的分子构象都不同的中间体状态 ,这个中间体状态的荧光发射波长最大 ,荧光发射强度也最大 ,而以此状态为复性起点 ,最终得到的复性产率也最低。对此原因从分子结构的基础上进行了探讨。     

New Insights in the Interpretation of Tryptophan Fluorescence

Origin of tryptophan fluorescence is still up to these days a quiz which is not completely solved. Fluorescence emission properties of tryptophan within proteins are in general considered as the result of fluorophore interaction within its environment. For example, a low fluorescence quantum yield is supposed to be the consequence of an important fluorophore–environment interaction. However, are we sure that the fluorophore has been excited upon light absorption? What if fluorophore excitation did not occur as the result of internal conformation specific to the fluorophore environment? Are we sure that all absorbed energy is used for the excitation process? Fluorescence lifetimes of Trp residues are considered to originate from rotamers or conformers resulting from the rotation of the indole ring within the peptide bonds. However, how can we explain the fact that in most of the proteins, the two lifetimes 0.5 and 3 ns, attributed to the conformers, are also observed for free tryptophan in solution? The present work, performed on free tryptophan and tyrosine in solution and on different proteins, shows that absorption and excitation spectra overlap but their intensities at the different excitation wavelengths are not necessarily equal. Also, we found that fluorescence emission intensities recorded at different excitation wavelengths depend on the intensities at these excitation wavelengths and not on the optical densities. Thus, excitation is not equal to absorption. In our interpretation of the data, we consider that absorbed photons are not necessary used only for the excitation, part of them are used to reorganize fluorophore molecules in a new state (excited structure) and another part is used for the excitation process. A new parameter that characterizes the ratio of the number of emitted photons over the real number of photons used to excite the fluorophore can be defined. We call this parameter, the emission to excitation ratio. Since our results were observed for fluorophores free in solution and present within proteins, structural reorganization does not depend on the protein backbone. Thus, fluorescence lifetimes (0.5 and 3 ns) observed for tryptophan molecules result from the new structures obtained in the excited state. Our theory allows opening a new way in the understanding of the origin of protein fluorescence and fluorescence of aromatic amino acids.     

吖啶橙荧光探针法测定人体尿液中的DNA

因吖啶橙(Acridine Orange,简称AO)在十二烷基苯磺酸钠(Dodecylbenzene Sulfonic Acid Sodiumsalt以下简称SDBS)介质中存在形态之间的平衡,而DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid)的加入所起作用也象表面活性剂一样起到有序化介质的作用,即DNA的加入可使AO的平衡发生移动,导致体系荧光增强,其荧光强度与DNA的浓度在一定的范围内呈线性关系,从而建立了测定DNA的新的灵敏方法。本法的荧光激发波长为506 nm,发射波长为529 nm,激发和发射狭缝均为5 nm。对于鱼精子DNA(Fish sperm DNA以下简称fsD-NA),线性范围为0-10 μg·mL-1,方法的最低检出限为0.088μg·mL-1,本法成功应用于人体尿液中DNA的临床测定。     

Testing a Fine-Needle Optical Probe for Recording Changes in the Fluorescence of Coenzymes of Cellular Respiration

Optics and Spectroscopy - A device for optical biopsy with a fluorescence spectroscopy channel and a fine-needle optical probe for use in fine-needle aspiration biopsy of liver tumors is described....     

A Fluorescence and Fluorescence Probe Study of Benzonaphthyridines

A series of benzo[b][1,8]naphthyridines has been synthesized by Friedl?nder condensation of 2-aminoquinoline-3-carbaldehyde 1 (o-aminoaldehyde) with alicyclic ketones in basic medium. Benzonaphthyridines branched with various side-chains and substituents are prepared with the aim of being investigated as a good fluorescent material. Electronic absorption and fluorescence properties of some representative benzonaphthyridines in organic solvents, water-dioxane, and SDS, CTAB and Triton-X-100 micelles have been examined. The linear correlation between solvent polarity and fluorescence properties is observed. This study may provide new directions for the development of fluorescence probes as reporters of microenvironments of organized assemblies.     

以金纳米簇为荧光探针快速测定蔬菜中的微量铜

研究了主要因素对Cu2+猝灭金纳米簇荧光的影响,确定了Cu2+的最佳分析条件.在最佳实验条件下,Cu2+在2.4-60.0μg/mL范围时,金纳米簇的荧光猝灭程度与Cu2+浓度呈线性关系,线性回归方程为:(F0-F)/F0=0.5151+0.004709C,线性相关系数为0.9992.蔬菜中常见离子对铜的测定无干扰.对13种蔬菜样品中微量铜进行了测定,5次测定值的相对标准偏差＜4％,加标回收率在94％-106％范围内.     

色氨酸和酪氨酸的三维荧光光谱特征参量提取

氨基酸是维持生命活动的重要物质,而色氨酸和酪氨酸又是天然氨基酸中重要的发光组分,应用荧光光谱法对其进行测量和分辨具有重要的意义。文章用美国Pekin-Elmer LS55型荧光分光光度计,对色氨酸和酪氨酸的三维荧光光谱进行了测量。将测量的数据用激发-发射-荧光强度的三维坐标表示,得到三维荧光谱图,但色氨酸和酪氨酸存在共性峰,通过波峰位置简单地来辨别两种混叠的物质很有难度。以数理统计概念为基础,提取该三维荧光光谱的特征参数,得到两种物质荧光光谱中最相关的信息,可以解决两种物质光谱混叠的分辨问题。结果表明,色氨酸和酪氨酸的三维荧光光谱平均值、标准差、原点矩、混合中心矩等参数差值百分比分别为330.37%, 102.86%, 329.16%, 329.63%,区别较大;而边际分布、相关系数值差值百分比仅为10.61%和2.40%。因而平均值、标准差、原点矩、混合中心矩可作为敏感特征参数,用其分辨谱图混叠的色氨酸和酪氨酸是可行的。这种“数学预提取”的三维光谱分析法可以找出组分之间的敏感特征参量,能够取代传统的三维荧光光谱分析法。     

Wavelength-Selective Fluorescence of a Model Transmembrane Peptide: Constrained Dynamics of Interfacial Tryptophan Anchors

WALPs are prototypical, α-helical transmembrane peptides that represent a consensus sequence for transmembrane segments of integral membrane proteins and serve as excellent models for exploring peptide-lipid interactions and hydrophobic mismatch in membranes. Importantly, the WALP peptides are in direct contact with the lipids. They consist of a central stretch of alternating hydrophobic alanine and leucine residues capped at both ends by tryptophans. In this work, we employ wavelength-selective fluorescence approaches to explore the intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan residues in WALP23 in 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) membranes. Our results show that the four tryptophan residues in WALP23 exhibit an average red edge excitation shift (REES) of 6 nm, implying their localization at the membrane interface, characterized by a restricted microenvironment. This result is supported by fluorescence anisotropy and lifetime measurements as a function of wavelength displayed by WALP23 tryptophans in POPC membranes. These results provide a new approach based on intrinsic fluorescence of interfacial tryptophans to address protein-lipid interaction and hydrophobic mismatch.