EXCITATION ENERGY TRANSFER IN THE CRYPTOPHYTES. FLUORESCENCE EXCITATION SPECTRA AND PICOSECOND TIME-RESOLVED EMISSION SPECTRA OF INTACT ALGAE AT 77 K

Excitation spectra of chlorophyll- a (Chl- a ) fluorescence in intact cells of Cryptomonas ovata, Chroomonas pauciplastida and Chroomonas salina were determined at 77 K. For all species the excitation spectra for emission from Chl- a associated with photosystem II (PSII) showed increased contributions by a carotenoid (493 nm) and phycobiliproteins, and decreased contributions by carotenoid (417 nm, 505 nm) and Chl- a (445 nm) as compared to excitation spectra for emission from Chl- a associated with photosystem I (PSI). Excitation spectra of C. salina and C. ovata showed an increased contribution by Chl- c ² to PSII Chl- a fluorescence emission. In all three species the absorbance band positions of Chl- a , as determined from the excitation spectra, were similar to those previously described in green plants. green algae and phycobilisome-containing organisms. Time-resolved 77 K fluorescence emission spectra of C. ovata and C. salina showed successive emission from both phycoerythrin and Chl- c ², PSII Chl- a , and PSI Chl- a. C. pauciplastida showed successive emission from phycocyanin, PSII Chl- a , and PSI Chl- a. Spectral red-shifts with time were observed for the phycobiliprotein peaks in all three species. The fluorescence decay of phycoerythrin in C. ovata and C. salina was faster than that of phycocyanin in C. pauciplastida. The results are discussed in relation to the organization of the antenna pigments of PSII and PSI in the cryptophyte algae.     

Determination of Fluorescence Polarization and Absorption Anisotropy in Molecular Complexes Having Threefold Rotational Symmetry

Abstract— The current work concerns investigation of the polarization properties of complex molecular ensembles exhibiting threefold (C₃) rotational symmetry, particularly with regard to the interplay between their structure and dynamics of internal energy transfer. We assume that the molecules or chromophores in such complexes possess strongly overlapped spectra both for absorption and fluorescence. Such trimeric structures are widely found in biological preparations, as for example the trimer of C-phycocyanin (C-PC). Higher order aggregates, e.g. hex-amers and three-hexamer rods, are also investigated and compared with the trimer case. The theory addresses both steady-state and 8-pulse excitation and establishes some links between them. Monochromophoric, bichro-mophoric and trichromophoric molecular complexes are individually examined. For steady-state excitation, analytical formulas are reported for the degree of fluorescence polarization and absorption anisotropy. It is shown that the polarization is dependent on the chromophore inclination relative to the symmetry axis, the relative efficiencies of absorption and fluorescence by chromophores of different spectral types, and the rates of energy equilibration. To assess the validity of the theory, it has been applied to C-PC aggregates. Here it was found that different C-PC aggregates provide practically identical polarization response. For S-pulse excitation we give analytical formulas for determination of the fluorescence depolarization, and also the depolarization associated with absorption recovery, both for a monochromophoric trimer and some particular cases of bichromophoric trimer. More complicated systems are analyzed by computer modeling. Thus it transpires that the initial polarization anisotropy r(t = 0) takes the value 0.4 for all considered aggregates; the long-time limit r(t →∞) has about the same value as is associated with steady-state excitation. We also show that with steady-state excitation the degree of fluorescence polarization is practically equal for various C₃ aggregates of C-PC, and that the major factor determining the polarization is the chromophore orientation relative to the symmetry axis.     

以meso-四(N-甲基-3-吡啶基)卟啉荧光光度测定痕量锌的研究

研究了以meso-四(N-甲基-3-吡啶基)卟啉测定锌痕量锌的荧光光度法, 其灵敏度较其它水溶性卟啉衍生物测定锌的分光光度法要高, 检出量为1ppb, 线性范围为0-1.0μg/25mL. 方法已用于测定自来水和头发中的微量锌, 结果满意.     

Nonperturbative theory for the optical response to strong light of the light harvesting complex II of plants: saturation of the fluorescence quantum yield

Recent progress in resolution of the structure of the light harvesting complex II provides the basis for theoretical predictions on nonlinear optical properties from microscopic calculations. An approach to absorption and fluorescence is presented within the framework of Bloch equations using a correlation expansion of relevant many particle interactions. The equations derived within the framework of this theory are applied to describe fluorescence saturation phenomena. The experimentally observed decrease of the normalized fluorescence quantum yield from 1 to 0.0001 upon increasing the intensity of laser pulse excitation at 645 nm by five orders of magnitude [R Sch?del et al., Biophys. J. 71, 3370 (1996)] is explained by Pauli blocking effects of optical excitation and excitation energy transfer.     

NEAR-INFRARED FOURIER-TRANSFORM RAMAN STUDY OF CHLOROPHYLL a IN SOLUTIONS

Abstract— The 1064 nm excited Fourier-transform (FT) Raman spectra have been measured for chlorophyll a (Chl- a ) in various solutions. Features of the obtained spectra are largely different from those of Soret-resonant Raman spectra of Chl- a . For example, a band due to the C=0 stretching mode of the 13-keto group is much stronger in the former than in the latter. Although the excitation wavelength is rather far from that of the Qy absorption of Chl- a , notable enhancements of bands due to the C=O stretching mode of the 13¹-keto group and to the C=C stretching mode of the vinyl group and those in the 1250–600 cm^-1 region suggest that the 1064 nm-excited Raman spectra of Chl- a are preresonance enhanced via the Qy band. Some of the marker bands for the coordination number of the central Mg atom, which have been used in the visible-excited resonance Raman spectra, are not valid in the 1064 nm-excited Raman spectra. Instead, new marker bands are found in the latter. The 1064-nm excited Raman spectra of Chl- a in a hydrated hexane solution reveal that the dehydrated oligomer of Chl- a as well as Chl- a -water micelles coexist in the solution. They also suggest that the size of the oligomer is considerably larger and the hydrogen bonding of the 13¹-keto group in the oligomer is weaker than that in the micelles.     

Determination of nucleic acids using calcein-neodymium complex as a fluorescence probe.

A novel fluorometric method has been developed for rapid determination of DNA and RNA with calcein-neodymium complex as a fluorescence probe. The method is based on the fluorescence enhancement of calcein-Nd(III) complex in the presence of DNA or RNA, with maximum excitation and emission wavelength at 489 nm and 514 nm, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the calibration graphs are linear over the range 0.5 - 3.0 microg/ml for both DNA and yeast RNA, 0.4 - 2.0 microg/ml for fish sperm DNA (FS DNA) and 0 - 3.0 microg/ml for calf thymus DNA (CT DNA). The corresponding detection limits are 15.1 ng/ml for DNA, 21.2 ng/ml for yeast RNA, 10.5 ng/ml for FS DNA and 8.9 ng/ml for CT DNA. The interaction mechanism for the binding of calcein-Nd(III) complex to DNA is also studied. The results of absorption spectra, fluorescence polarization measurements and thermal denaturation experiments, suggested that the interaction between calcein-Nd(III) complex and DNA is an electrostatic interaction.     

THE PHOTOCHEMICAL YIELD OF SINGLET OXYGEN FROM PORPHYRINS IN DIFFERENT STATES OF AGGREGATION

Abstract— Aqueous solutions of hematoporphyrin and hematoporphyrin derivatives were exposed to light. When present in such solutions tryptophan is degraded by a singlet oxygen mechanism. This is true for excitation at 396 nm, where porphyrin monomers have their absorption maximum, as well as for excitation at 360 nm, where porphyrin aggregates seem to absorb strongly. The quantum yield of singlet oxygen production is similar within 25% for excitation at 396 and 360 nm while the fluorescence quantum yield is more than a factor 2 lower for excitation at 360 nm than for excitation at 396 nm. Photoexcitation of the clinically used hematopotophyrin derivatives photofrin I and photofrin II produces singlet oxygen with significantly smaller yields than photoexcitation of hematoporphyrin. Thus, the aggregates present in solutions of photofrin I and photofrin II are of a different nature than those present in aqueous solutions of hematoporphyrin.     

Radiative lifetimes of neutral and singly ionized atoms of refractory elements

Picosecond laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and a pulsed hollow cathode discharge are applied to measure 66 radiative lifetimes of Ta II, Ti II, Ce II, Zr II, Zr I, and Fe I levels. In the present investigation systematic influences like polarization and magnetic field effects, radiation trapping, quenching and the duration of the exciting laser pulse are considered in the data analysis. The selective laser excitation of the levels under investigation is performed by a frequency-stabilized distributed feedback dye laser system and the fluorescence is recorded by photon counting technique to ensure best sensitivity and time-resolution. The typical pulse duration is 100 ps and the spectral bandwidth 0.006 nm. The absolute accuracy of the data is 3 to 6%.     

曙红Y的共振光散射与共振荧光

研究了曙红Y（EY）的共振散射光谱、荧光光谱和吸收光谱,讨论了共振光散射与共振荧光的区别与联系。在EY水溶液三维荧光等高线光谱图中,瑞利散射线与荧光等高线有部分相交。EY的共振散射峰（525nm）介于荧光激发峰（514nm）和发射峰（536nm）之间。由光偏振实验,测得EY共振散射光谱525nm处的偏振度P=0．20。上述实验结果证明,EY的共振散射峰主要是共振荧光。在改变pH的实验中发现,EY共振光散射增强是由于酸碱平衡的移动导致荧光型体的形成。由于自吸收的影响,共振散射光强度与EY浓度之间不是严格的线性关系。     

LIGHT-INDUCED QUENCHING OF PHOTOSYSTEM II FLUORESCENCE AT 77 K

Abstract— Light-induced quenching of the low temperature fluorescence emission from photosystem II (PS II) at 695 nm ( F ₆₉₅) has been observed in chloroplasts and whole leaves of spinach. Photosystem I (PS I) fluorescence emission at 735 nm ( F ₇₃₅) is quenched to a lesser degree but this quenching is thought to originate from PS II and is manifest in a reduced amount of excitation energy available for spillover to PS I. Differential quenching of these two fluorescence emissions leads to an increase in the F ₇₃₅/ F ₆₈₅ ratio on exposure to light at 77 K. Rewarming the sample from -196°C discharges the thermoluminescence Z-band and much of the original unquenched fluorescence is recovered. The relationship between the thermoluminescence Z-band and the quenching of the low temperature fluorescence emission ( F ₆₉₅) is discussed with respect to the formation of reduced pheophytin in the PS II reaction center at 77 K.     

Fluorescence Reaction of 5- (p-Methoxyphenylazo)-8-(p-tolylsulfonamido)quinoline with Cobalt(II) and Its Analytical Application

Abstract

5-(p-Methoxyphenylazo)-8-(p-tolylsulfonamido) quinoline(MTAQ) has been synthesized. The product was checked by IR, theroograviae-try, NMR and elemental analysis. A highly sensitive spectrofluorim-etric method has been developed for the determination of cobalt(II) based on the formation of a complex with MTAQ in slightly basic medium aqueous solution and In the presence of nonionic surfactant, tween-80. The complex shows two excitation maxima at 304 nm and 338 nm, its emission maximum is centred at 402 nm. The fluorescence intensity is proportional to cobalt(II) concentration in the range of 0-85 ppb. The method has good selectivity and has been applied to the direct fluorimetric determination of trace cobalt(II) in pig's liver, Dianchi shrimp and celery.     

EXCITED-STATE PROPERTIES OF DNA METHYLATED AT THE NV7 POSITION OF GUANINE AND ITS FREE FLUOROPHORE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

The room-temperature optical properties of calf thymus DNA, with about 75% of its guanine residues methylated at position N-7, are compared with those of 7-methyl GMP which has the same fluorophore. The fluorescence spectrum of the methylated guanine residues depends strongly on the excitation wavelength, shifting to the blue as the wavelength increases. The fluorescence quantum yield, corrected for the contribution to absorption by the other virtually nonfluorescent residues, exhibits a pronounced drop at long excitation wavelengths relative to that for excitation at 265 nm. The degree of fluorescence polarization exhibits a weak dependence on the excitation and emission wavelengths. For 7-methyl GMP, the fluorescence spectrum is very weakly dependent on the excitation wavelength and its fluorescence quantum yield shows a moderate increase at long wavelengths. The degree of fluorescence polarization increases with increasing excitation wavelength particularly when monitoring the emission in the short wavelength region of the fluorescence spectrum. A pronounced drop of unknown origin is observed when exciting at 265 nm, which is not observed for methylated DNA. The methylated DNA data are interpreted in terms of a combination of (i) a heterogeneous environment of the methylated guanine residues, which results from sequence-dependent stacking interactions, and (ii) transfer of excitation energy from the other residues to the fluorescing methylated guanine residues. From the values of the quantum yields and those of the decay times, which we have recently reported (Georghiou et al., 1985), the following values are obtained for the radiative, k_t, and the sum of the nonradiative, σk₁, rate constants for deexcitation of the excited states of methylated DNA and its free fluorophore: 1.6 × 10⁸ s^-1 7 × 10⁷ s^-1 and 5 × 10¹⁰ s^-lvs 6 × 10⁹ s^-1. Because of energy transfer from the other residues. the k_f value for the methylated guanine residues is overestimated but their σk₁, value is not affected significantly and is by about an order of magnitude larger than that for 7-methyl GMP, apparently because of stacking interactions.     

Two-Color Two-Photon Excitation of Fluorescence

Abstract— We report the observation of two-photon excitation of an organic fluorophore with two different wavelengths, a phenomenon we refer to as two-color two-photon (2C2P) excitation. Ultraviolet emission of p -Merphenyl at 340 nm was observed when the sample was illuminated with both 375 and 750 nm pulses from a picosecond dye laser. The emission of p -terphenyl was about 100-fold and more than 1000-fold less for illumination at only 375 or 750 nm, respectively. Observation of the 2C2P signal required temporal and spatial overlap of the 375 and 750 nm pulses. The amplitude of the signal depended on the polarization of each beam. 2C2P excitation can have applications in fluorescence microscopy and elsewhere when spatially localized excitation is desirable.     

Polarized fluorescence spectra of retinol ad diphenyl octatetraene

The polarization of fluorescence excitation and emission bands of all-trans retinol in 77°K has been measured at relatively high resolution. The main excitation band as well as the fluorescence band showed a degree of polarization approaching that the theoretical maximum of 0.5 for a linear oscillator under photoselective conditions. These results are consistent with the assignment that the main absorption and fluorescence bands originate from the long-axis polarized ⁱB ← ^IA transition, as expected from free electron theory. Diphenyl octatetraene was also studied, yielding results similar to the retinol system.     

Polarized fluorescence spectra of poly(ethylene terephthalate) films

The polarized excitation and fluorescence spectra of lowcrystalline, isotropic poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film samples were measured in the glassy state at room temperature. Whereas the emission anisotropy r₀ of the excitation spectrum, recorded at the fluorescence maximum, changes sharply from 0.35 to 0 with decreasing wavelength in the region around 317 nm, the polarization of the fluorescence spectrum of PET is independent of wavelength. The fluorescence polarization of PET remains constant, if the temperature is increased up to 22 °C above T_g until the light scattering due to the crystallization causes complete depolarization. The photophysical behaviour supports the existence of a dilute solution of groundstate - stable sandwich dimers in the non-crystalline regions of PET.     

CHLOROPHYLL a FLUORESCENCE OF GONYAULAX POLYEDRA GROWN ON A LIGHT-DARK CYCLE AND AFTER TRANSFER TO CONSTANT LIGHT

Abstract— The chlorophyll a fluorescence properties of Gonyaulax polyedra cells before and after transfer from a lightdark cycle (LD) to constant dim light (LL) were investigated. The latter display a faster fluorescence transient from the level ‘I’ (intermediary peak) to ‘D’ (dip) to ‘P’ (peak) than the former (3 s as compared to 10 s), and a different pattern of decline in fluorescence from ‘I’ to ‘D’ and from ‘P’ to the steady state level with no clearly separable second wave of slow fluorescence change, referred to as ‘s' (quasi steady state)→‘M’ (maximum) →‘T’ (terminal steady state). The above differences are constant features of cells in LD and LL, and are not dependent on the time of day. They are interpreted as evidence for a greater ratio of photosystem II/photosystem I activity in cells in LL. After an initial photoadaptive response following transfer from LD to LL, the cell absorbance at room temperature and fluorescence emission spectra at 77 K for cells in LL and LD are comparable. The major emission peak is at 685–688 nm (from an antenna Chl a 680, perhaps Chl a-c complex), but, unlike higher plants and other algae, the emission bands at 696–698 nm (from Chl a_II complex, Chl a 685, close to reaction center II) and 710–720 nm (from Chl a₁, complexes, Chl a 695, close to reaction center I) are very minor and could be observed only in the fluorescence emission difference spectra of LL minus LD cells and in the ratio spectra of DCMU-treated to non-treated cells. Comparison of emission spectra of cells in LL and LD suggested that, in LL, there is a slightly greater net excitation energy transfer from the light-harvesting peridinin-Chl a (Chl a 670) complex, fluorescing at 675 nm, to the other antenna chlorophyll a complex fluorescing at 685–688 nm, and from the Chl a., complex to the reaction center II. Comparison of excitation spectra of fluorescence of LL and LD cells, in the presence of DCMU, confirmed that cells in LL transfer energy more extensively from the peridinin-Chl a complex to other Chl a complexes than do cells in LD.     

Effects of iodide on the fluorescence and activity of the hydroperoxyflavin intermediate of Vibrio harveyi luciferase

The 4a-hydroperoxy-4a,5-dihydroFMN intermediate (II or HFOOH) of Vibrio harveyi luciferase is known to transform from a low quantum yield IIx to a high quantum yield (lambdamax 485 nm, uncorrected) IIy fluorescent species on exposure to excitation light. Similar results were observed with II prepared from the alphaH44A luciferase mutant, which is very weak in bioluminescence activity. Because of the rapid decay of the alphaH44A II, its true fluorescence was obscured by the more intense 520 nm fluorescence (uncorrected) from its decay product oxidized flavin mononucleotide (FMN). Potassium iodide (KI) at 0.2 M was effective in quenching the FMN fluorescence, leaving the 485 nm fluorescence of II from both the wild-type (WT) and alphaH44A luciferase readily detectable. For both II species, the luciferase-bound peroxyflavin was well shielded from KI quenching. KI also enhanced the decay rates of both the WT and alphaH44A II. For alphaH44A, the transformation of IIx to IIy can be induced by KI in the dark, and it is proposed to be a consequence of a luciferase conformational change. The WT II formed a bioluminescence-inactive complex with KI, resulting in two distinct decay time courses based on absorption changes and decreases of bioluminescence activity of II.     

Identification of a new excited state responsible for the in vivo unique absorption band of siphonaxanthin in the green alga Codium fragile

A marine green alga, Codium fragile, exhibits a characteristic in vivo absorption band of a specific keto-carotenoid, siphonaxanthin, at 535 nm. We examined the ultrafast fluorescence kinetics by direct excitation of this band after purification of light-harvesting complex II. On the basis of a high fluorescence anisotropy (0.39) up to 1 ps and a very short lifetime (60 fs), we identified the 535 nm band as a new electronically excited state (Sx) located between the S1 and S2 states. Excited-state dynamics of the Sx state were further discussed in relation to the energy transfer processes in the complexes.     

(2+1) laser-induced fluorescence of spin-polarized hydrogen atoms

We report the measurement of the spin polarization of hydrogen (SPH) atoms by (2+1) laser-induced fluorescence, produced via the photodissociation of thermal HBr molecules with circularly polarized 193 nm light. This scheme, which involves two-photon laser excitation at 205 nm and fluorescence at 656 nm, offers an experimentally simpler polarization-detection method than the previously reported vacuum ultraviolet detection scheme, allowing the detection of SPH atoms to be performed more straightforwardly, from the photodissociation of a wide range of molecules and from a variety of collision experiments.     

细胞色素bc1复合物结晶的偏振拉曼光谱研究

本文报道了用５１４．５ｎｍ和４１３．１ｎｍ激光激发的细胞色素ｂｃ１复合结日 的偏振显微共振拉曼光谱和用１０６４ｎｍ激光激发的近红外傅里叶变换偏振拉曼光谱,已观察到不同结晶取向和偏振的影响。结果表明,这些取向排列和偏振的影响和分子的对称性质和结晶的三维结构有关。综可能随着三维结构中子单元和的中心的部位不同而改变,其对称性的不同与三不对称排列有关,也可归因子蛋白南环境电学上的不对称性。