Modeling the nonradiative decay rate of electronically excited thioflavin T

A computational model of nonradiative decay is developed and applied to explain the time-dependent emission spectrum of thioflavin T (ThT). The computational model is based on a previous model developed by Glasbeek and co-workers (van der Meer, M. J.; Zhang, H.; Glasbeek, M. J. Chem. Phys. 2000, 112, 2878) for auramine O, a molecule that, like ThT, exhibits a high nonradiative rate. The nonradiative rates of both auramine O and ThT are inversely proportional to the solvent viscosity. The Glasbeek model assumes that the excited state consists of an adiabatic potential surface constructed by adiabatic coupling of emissive and dark states. For ThT, the twist angle between the benzothiazole and the aniline is responsible for the extensive mixing of the two excited states. At a twist angle of 90°, the S(1) state assumes a charge-transfer-state character with very small oscillator strength, which causes the emission intensity to be very small as well. In the ground state, the twist angle of ThT is rather small. The photoexcitation leads first to a strongly emissive state (small twist angle). As time progresses, the twist angle increases and the oscillator strength decreases. The fit of the experimental results by the model calculations is good for times longer than 3 ps. When a two-coordinate model is invoked or a solvation spectral-shift component is added, the fit to the experimental results is good at all times.     

Computational study of thioflavin T torsional relaxation in the excited state

Quantum-chemical calculations of the Thioflavin T (ThT) molecule in the ground S0 and first excited singlet S1 states were carried out. It has been established that ThT in the ground state has a noticeable nonplanar conformation: the torsion angle phi between the benzthiazole and the dimethylaminobenzene rings has been found to be approximately 37 degrees. The energy barriers of the intramolecular rotation appearing at phi = 0 and 90 degrees are quite low: semiempirical AM1 and PM3 methods predict values approximately 700 cm-1 and ab initio methods approximately 1000-2000 cm(-1). The INDO/S calculations of vertical transitions to the S1(abs) excited state have revealed that energy ES1(abs) is minimal for the twisted conformation with phi = 90 degrees and that the intramolecular charge-transfer takes place upon the ThT fragments' rotation from phi = 0 to 90 degrees. Ab initio CIS/RHF calculations were performed to find optimal geometries in the excited S1 state for a series of conformers having fixed phi values. The CIS calculations have predicted a minimum of the S1 state energy at phi approximately 21 degrees; however, the energy values are 1.5 times overestimated in comparison to experimental data. Excited state energy dependence on the torsion angle phi, obtained by the INDO/S method, reveals that ES1(fluor) is minimal at phi = approximately 80-100 degrees, and a plateau is clearly observed for torsion angles ranging from 20 to 50 degrees. On the basis of the calculation results, the following scheme of photophysical processes in the excited S1 state of the ThT is suggested. According to the model, a twisted internal charge-transfer (TICT) process takes place for the ThT molecule in the excited singlet state, resulting in a transition from the fluorescent locally excited (LE) state to the nonfluorescent TICT state, accompanied by torsion angle phi growth from 37 to 90 degrees. The TICT process effectively competes with radiative transition from the LE state and is responsible for significant quenching of the ThT fluorescence in low-viscosity solvents. For viscous solvents or when the ThT molecule is located in a rather rigid microenvironment, for example, when it is bound to amyloid fibrils, internal rotation in the dye molecule is blocked due to steric hindrance, which results in suppression of the LE --> TICT quenching process and in a high quantum yield of fluorescence.     

Interactions of thioflavin T with serum albumins: Spectroscopic analyses

The interaction of thioflavin T (ThT) with serum albumins from four different mammalian species i.e. human, bovine, porcine and rabbit, has been investigated by circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy and ITC. The binding constant (K) for HSA was found to be 9.9 × 10⁴ M⁻¹, 4.3 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ for RSA, 1.07 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ for PSA and 0.3 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ for BSA and the number of binding sites (n) were 1.14, 1.06, 0.94 and 0.8, respectively, which is very significant. By using unfolding pathway of HSA in the presence of urea, domain II of HSA has been assigned to possess binding site of ThT. Its binding constant is comparable to many drugs that bind at domain II of HSA, like salicylate, warfarin, digitoxin, etc. Acting force between HSA and ThT is showing that both hydrophobic and electrostatic forces have contributed for the interaction. ΔG_binding, ΔH and ΔS were calculated to be −28.46 kJ mol⁻¹, −3.50 kJ mol⁻¹ and 81.04 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, respectively. The data described here will help to increase our understanding about the interaction of ThT with native proteins. The results also indicate that care must be taken while using ThT as a probe for detecting amyloid fibrils.     

Electrochemical synthesis, characterization and some properties of a polymer derived from thioflavin S

Polymeric films derived from thioflavin S were electrosynthesized on mild steel and silver electrodes in sulfuric acid and lithium perchlorate-containing aqueous solutions. The introduction of thioflavin S in an acidic solution protected the surface of steel from corrosion. The electrochemical behavior of the steel coated with a layer of poly(thioflavin) was examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The films exhibited a capacitive behavior and were semi-conductive in nature. Infra red reflectance measurements of the polymer films at the steel surface showed that the polymer structure retained the aromatic structure of the benzene and thiazole rings with the distinction of a nitrogen quinone vibrational band. Surface morphology of the polymer film was examined with scanning electron microscopy. The films are yellow, compact and dense when electrochemically formed onto steel surfaces when compared to a blue rather porous when formed onto silver electrode. The mechanism of electropolymerization of thioflavin is given and found similar to that of aniline with the possibility of metal chelation with the sulfur and/or nitrogen in the thiazole ring.     

Crystal structure of thioflavin T bound to the peripheral site of Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase reveals how thioflavin T acts as a sensitive fluorescent reporter of ligand binding to the acylation site

Acetylcholinesterase plays a key role in cholinergic synaptic transmission by hydrolyzing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine with one of the highest known catalytic rate constants. Hydrolysis occurs in a narrow and deep gorge that contains two sites of ligand binding: A peripheral site, or P-site, near the gorge entrance that contributes to catalytic efficiency both by transiently trapping substrate molecules as they enter the gorge and by allosterically accelerating the transfer of the substrate acyl group to a serine hydroxyl in an acylation site or A-site at the base of the gorge. Thioflavin T is a useful reporter of ligand interactions with the A-site. It binds specifically to the P-site with fluorescence that is enhanced approximately 1000-fold over that of unbound thioflavin T, and the enhanced fluorescence is quenched 1.5- to 4-fold when another ligand binds to the A-site in a ternary complex. To clarify the structural basis of this advantageous signal change, we here report the X-ray structure of the complex of thioflavin T with Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase. The two aromatic rings in thioflavin T are coplanar and are packed snugly parallel to the aromatic side chains of Trp279, Tyr334, and Phe330. Overlays of this structure with the crystal structures of Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase complexes with either edrophonium or m-( N, N, N-trimethylammonio)-2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone, two small aromatic ligands that bind specifically to the A-site, indicate that the phenyl side chain of Phe330 must rotate to sterically accommodate both thioflavin T and the A-site ligand in the ternary complex. This rotation may allow some relaxation of the strict coplanarity of the aromatic rings in the bound thioflavin T and result in partial quenching of its fluorescence.     

Organic semiconductor polymer nanodots as a new kind of off-on fluorescent probe for sulfide

The authors describe a fluorescent probe for sulfide that is based on carboxy-functionalized semiconducting polymer dots (P-dots). The dots were prepared from carboxy-functionalized poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(1,4-benzo-2,1′-3-thiadiazole)] (referred to as COOH-PFBT) via co-precipitation. The P-dots aggregate on addition of Cu(II) ions and their green fluorescence (with excitation/emission peaks at 455/540 nm) is then quenched. Fluorescence is restored on addition of sulfide to the aggregates due to the formation of CuS. This quenching-recovery (“off-on”) mechanism forms the basis for a new sulfide detection scheme. Fluorescence increases linearly in the 1.25 to 75.0 μM sulfide concentration range, with a 0.45 μM detection limit. Good selectivity over other anions is demonstrated. The method shows recoveries ranging between 98.6% and 105.7% when applied to the determination of sulfide in spiked real water samples.

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Graphical abstract Schematic of a fluorescent off-on sensor for (hydrogen) sulfide based on the use of semiconducting polymer dots (PFBT-COOH) whose fluorescene is quenched by Cu(II) ion but restored on addition of (hydrogen) sulfide.

     

A selective and sensitive off–on probe for palladium and its application for living cell imaging

A new rhodamine B derivative T1 has been rationally synthesized and displayed selective Pd(Ⅱ)-amplified absorbance and fluorescence emission above 540 nm in methanol–water. Upon the addition of Pd(Ⅱ), the spirolactam ring was unfolded and a 1:1 metal-ligand complex formed, which can be used for ‘‘naked-eyes" detection. In addition, fluorescence imaging experiments of Pd~(2+) in HepG2 living cells showed its valuable application in biological systems.     

Salt rejection by polymer membranes in reverse osmosis. II. Ionic polymers

The water permeability K₁ [which is related to water flux J₁ per unit membrane area by J₁ = K₁(Δp ? ΔII)/ΔX, where Δp is the pressure difference, ΔII is the osmotic pressure of feed solution, and ΔX is the membrane thickness] of homogeneous ionic polymer membranes in reverse osmosis and their salt rejection R_s [which is given by R_s ≡ 1 ? (C_2″/C_2′), where C_2′ is the concentration of the salt in feed solution, and C_2″ is the concentration of salt in effluent] were examined with cationic and anionic membranes of block and graft copolymers. For ionic membranes, R_s and K₁ are related by K₁ = A exp { ? BR_s}, where A and B are constants. This equation was found to be independent of the ion charge, the chemical nature of the polymer, and film morphology. The principle of salt rejection by ionic membranes was explained by the difference in the transport volumes (volume elements available for transport) for mobile co-ions and water. The electric repulsive force between a fixed ion and a mobile co-ion decreases the transport volume of the latter, thus creating a transport depletion of salt flux relative to water transport. This transport depletion is governed by the amount of water sorbed by a fixed ionic site, which also determines the water flux. Consequently, R_s and K₁ for ionically charged membranes are related as described above. This relation significantly differs from that found between R_s and K₁ for nonionic polymer membranes, where the size and the solubility of ions in the membrane are mainly responsible for the transport depletion. The decline of R_s with increasing K₁ is much less in ionic membranes than in nonionic ones; however, in the high R_s region, K₁ for both ionic and nonionic membranes become similar as the dominant mode of water transport changes from flow to diffusion.     

Salt rejection by polymer membranes in reverse osmosis. I. Nonionic polymers

An attempt is made to analyze the relationship between salt rejection and water flux of nonionic polymer membranes in reverse osmosis on the basis of the movement of water in the membranes. The salt rejection R_s is a consequence of transport depletion of salt in relation to water flux. The transport depletion can be quantitatively expressed through knowledge of the mode of water transport and by application of free-volume theory to membrane transport phenomena. Water permeation can be characterized by a parameter ω = RTK₁/P_1v1, K₁ denoting hydraulic permeability, P₁ diffusive water permeability, v₁ the molar volume of water. Thus polymer membranes can be classified in three categories: ω = 1 (diffusion membranes); ω > 1 (diffusion-flow membranes); and ω ? 1 (flow membranes). Salt rejection R_s can be expressed in terms of P₁, the diffusive salt permeability P₂, and the effective pressure (Δp ? Δπ): Experimental results obtained with various hydrophilic polymers are presented as the dependence of R_s on the logarithm of water flux. Good agreement was found between the experimental data and the calculated curve. Excessive swelling of membranes results in bulk flow of water (high ω) with coupled transport of salt. Hence the salt rejection decreases quickly as water flux in creases beyond a threshold value above which water flux can be characterized as bulk flow.     

Diffusion through rubbery and glassy polymer membranes

Mass transport of a number of organic vapors through polydimethylsiloxane films (PDMS) and carbon dioxide through a variety of polyimides based on a hexafluorotetracarboxylic acid unit (6FDA) were investigated. Vapor diffusion through PDMS films strongly depends on the concentration of the penetrant molecules in the network. For chloroform, increasing diffusivity at lower upstream activities occurs due to network plasticization, while a decreasing diffusion coefficient at larger concentration is supposed to stem from penetrant molecule clustering. The diffusion of carbon dioxide in 6FDA-based polyimides was modelled on a molecular basis. An exponential relation was found between Δc_p and the diffusion coefficient and the permeability, respectively. This relation holds also for on-chain modifications.     

Plasma nanostructuring of porous polymer membranes

Several methods for membrane modification have been presented. Chemical modification of a neat polymer followed by membrane formation and modification of just formed membranes have been compared to plasma action. The following plasma modes are discussed in detail: treatment with non-polymerizable gases, treatment with vapors and plasma initiated grafting. Some examples of modified membrane properties are given. Finally, it was concluded that plasma treatment offers the fastest, environment friendly and versatile method that allows tailoring brand new membranes.     

Structure of hydrated Na-Nafion polymer membranes

We use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structure of the hydrated Na-Nafion membranes. The membrane is "prepared" by starting with the Nafion chains placed on a cylinder having the water inside it. Minimizing the energy of the system leads to a filamentary hydrophilic domain whose structure depends on the degree of hydration. At 5 wt % water the system does not have enough water molecules to solvate all the ions that could be formed by the dissociation of the -SO3Na groups. As a result, the -SO3Na groups aggregate with the water to form very small droplets that do not join into a continuous phase. The size of the droplets is between 5 and 8 A. As the amount of water present in the membrane is increased, the membrane swells, and SO3Na has an increasing tendency to dissociate into ions. Furthermore, a transition to a percolating hydrophilic network is observed. In the percolating structure, the water forms irregular curvilinear channels branching in all directions. The typical dimension of the cross section of these channels is about 10-20 A. Calculated neutron scattering from the simulated system is in qualitative agreement with experiment. In all simulations, the pendant sulfonated perfluorovinyl side chains of the Nafion hug the walls of the hydrophilic channel, while the sulfonate groups point toward the center of the hydrophilic phase. The expulsion of the side chains from the hydrophilic domain is favored because it allows better interaction between the water molecules. We have also examined the probability of finding water molecules around the Na+ and the -SO3(-) ions as well as the probability of finding other water molecules next to a given water molecule. These probabilities are much broader than those found in bulk water or for one ion in bulk water (calculated with the potentials used in the present simulation). This is due to the highly inhomogeneous nature of the material contained in the small hydrophilic pores.     

Thermodynamic model of gas permeability in polymer membranes

A new molecular thermodynamic model is developed of the gas permeability in polymer membranes on the basis of configurational entropy and Flory‐Huggins theory to predict permeability dependence on the concentration of penetrant. Three kinds of configurational entropy are taken into account by this model; that is, the disorientation entropy of polymer, the mixing entropy, and specific interaction entropy of polymer/gas. The validity of the mathematical model is examined against experimental gas permeability for polymer membranes. Agreement between experimental and predicted permeability is satisfactory. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 661–665, 2007     

Nanochannels and nanodroplets in polymer membranes controlling ionic transport

Polymer materials with low water uptake exhibit a highly heterogeneous interior characterized by water clusters in the form of nanodroplets and nanochannels. Here, based on our recent insights from computer simulations, we argue that the water cluster structure has large implications for ionic transport and selective permeability in polymer membranes. Importantly, we demonstrate that the two key quantities for transport, the ion diffusion and the solvation free energy inside the polymer, are extremely sensitive to molecular details of the water clusters. In particular, we highlight the significance of water droplet interface potentials and the nature of hopping diffusion through transient water channels. These mechanisms can be harvested and fine-tuned to optimize selectivity in ionic transport in a wide range of applications.     

Diffusive and hydraulic permeabilities of water in water-swollen polymer membranes

The diffusive permeability of water P, which relates to diffusive flux of water under a concentration gradient of water (measured by diffusion of tritiated water), and the hydraulic permeability of water K, which relates to the water flux under a hydraulic pressure gradient are defined. For the case of diffusive transport one has P = KRT/ν₁, where ν₁ is the molar volume of water. The relationship between P and K was investigated as a function of hydration H, i.e., the volume fraction of water in swollen polymer membranes. The following characteristic features of water permeability are revealed. (a) In the lowhydration region (H < 0.2), water permeates by diffusion even under an applied hydraulic pressure gradient and KRT/ν₁ = P. (b) In the higher hydration region KRT/ν₁ is greater than P, and the ratio ω = KRT/ν₁P increases nearly exponentially with decrease of (1-H)/H. Water in this region moves partly by bulk flow under an applied hydraulic pressure gradient but moves only by diffusion in the absence of a pressure gradient. (c) The dependence of log P on (1-H)/H is nearly linear in regions of both high and low hydration but the slopes are different. The transition occurs in about the same H range where the discrepancy between P and KRT/ν₁ becomes significant. Excellent agreement was found between the experimental data for P as a function of H and the theoretical prediction based on the free-volume concept of diffusive transport in hydrated homogeneous membranes.     

Unusual spiral structures formed by glycated β-casein in the presence of thioflavin T: amyloid transformation?

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