RATE CONSTANTS FOR THE DEHYDRATION OF SINGLE AND DOUBLE HYDRATES OF CYTIDYLYL (3''-5'')–CYTIDINE

Abstract— Cytidylyl (3'-5') cytidine (CpC) was irradiated with ultraviolet light (u.v.) to produce the single hydrate (a mixture of C*pC and CpC*) and the double hydrate C*pC* which were separated by electrophoresis. These photoproducts rapidly dehydrate to CpC and deaminate to a mixture of U*pC and CpU*. The rate constants for dehydration and deamination of the hydrates were evaluated for a range of pH values from 3 to 8 at 0°C. It is observed that the rate constants for decay of C*pC* lie between those for C*pC and CpC* for all pH values studied. Both single and double hydrates show minimum stability around pH 4·5 and maximum stability around pH 8. The maximum rate constants for dehydration of C*pC*, C*pC and CpC* are 0·26, 0·145 and 0.35 hr^-1 respectively and the minimum values are 0.024, 0.011 and 0.091 hr^-1 respectively all at 0°C. The rate constants for deamination of C*pC to U*pC for a range of pH values at 0°C were measured. The amount of deamination product varies from about 2 to 10 per cent of the hydrate depending on pH with the maximum amount being produced around pH 8.     

THERMODYNAMICS OF PORPHYRIN BINDING TO SERUM ALBUMIN: EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, OF PORPHYRIN SPECIES and OF ALBUMIN-CARRIED FATTY ACIDS

Abstract Porphyrin binding to serum albumin was studied at the molecular level probing the effects of: porphyrin self-aggregation, porphyrin species, temperature and protein-bound fatty acids. Human serum albumin was found to have a single high-affinity site for porphyrin monomers, with binding constants of 2 x 10⁶, 5 x 10⁷ and 3 x 10⁸ (37^o C, neutral pH, M ⁻¹), for hemato-, deutero- and protoporphyrins, respectively. Three equilibria models for the dimer binding were developed and tested. The data were found to fit best with a model proposing a single high-affinity binding site for the dimer, independent of and different than the monomer site. The binding constants of the hematoporphyrin and deuteroporphyrin dimers to human serum albumin (37^o C, neutral pH, M^−l) being 4 x 10* and 5 x 10⁸ respectively. The temperature dependence (Dp and HSA, 22-37^o C) of the monomer binding showed the process to be entropy-driven (δG^o= -45 kJ mol⁻¹; δS^o=+146 kJ mol⁻¹; δH^o= 0 kJ mol⁻¹). For the dimer binding, the enthalpy change was found to be highly temperature-dependent implying continuous changes in the heat capacity of the system over the entire temperature range, the trend at the 37^o C region fitting an entropy-driven process. The monomer vs dimer differences in temperature dependence strongly support separate and independent binding sites for these species. Similar thermodynamics were determined for fatty-acid carrying as well as for fatty-acid free HSA, with mild quantitative (but not qualitative) shifts.     

PHOTOPHYSICS AND PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF 4-DIHYDROPYRIDINONES

Dihydropyridinones (DHP) react photochemically with olefins to form cycloaddition products. The reactions proceed through the lowest excited state T ₁ of the DHPs, with rate constants which depend on the olefin and can approach the diffusional limit in the most favourable cases. Intra-and inter-molecular sensitization and quenching have been investigated, as well as spectroscopic properties such as absorption and luminescence spectra, and in particular electron energy loss spectra which have established the energy of the reactive T₁, state as 295 kj mol^-1 (3.07 eV).     

KINETIC ANALYSIS OF THE FLUORESCENCE INDUCTION IN 3-(3,4-DICHLOROPHENYL)-1,1-DIMETHYLUREA POISONED CHLOROPLASTS

Abstract— The size of the area over the fluorescence rise curve of chloroplasts is a measure of the total number of quanta utilized in photosystem II during the fluorescence induction, while the growth of the area reflects the progress of photochemical events. In the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), the growth kinetics of the area are affected by the reoxidation of the primary acceptor Q ^- with stored oxidizing charges on the donor side of system II.
At low light intensities, a slow component of this back reaction may limit the steady state fluorescence emission. At higher intensities, however, the fluorescence rise is limited solely by photochemical events, although fast thermochemical reactions like the immediate recombination of photochemically separated charges may affect the efficiency of the photochemistry.
A kinetic analysis of the area growth at moderate light intensities revealed that it occurred in two first order phases which were described by the rate constants k _α and k _β. The biphasic nature suggested a sequential two-electron reduction of the primary acceptor Q , or the presence of two different types of photochemical centers in system II. The rate constants were light intensity dependent. They also were affected by changes in pH, by an addition of NH₂OH, or by a preillumination with short flashes prior to addition of DCMU. It is suggested that the pH of the medium, the presence of NH₂OH, and the flash induced state S_n of the water splitting enzyme, control the values of k _α and k _β by changing the rate constants of electron carrier interactions in the reaction center complex, with a resulting modification of the frequency of back reactions between the primary donor and the primary acceptor.     

DETERMINATION OF SINGLET OXYGEN RATE CONSTANTS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

Abstract— A very efficient quenching of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) by N₃^- ions has been applied to the determination of rate constants of reactions of ¹O₂ with various substrates (A). This determination has been made possible by choosing experimental conditions which give simple competition between N₃^- and A for ¹O₂ formed in the steady state irradiation of convenient sensitizing dye (S). The consumption of oxygen by the substrate, as followed with an oxygen analyzer, decreases in the presence of low concentrations of N₃^-. Using neutral air saturated aqueous solutions containing the dye phenosafranine + A and varying concentrations of N₃^-, the ¹O₂ rate constants for reactions with biological substrates and some radiation protective agents have been determined.     

CHLOROPHYLL PHOTOSENSITIZED ELECTRON TRANSFER IN PHOSPHOLIPID BILAYER VESICLE SYSTEMS: SECONDARY OXIDATION OF REDUCED VIOLOGEN ACCEPTORS BY Ru(NH3)63+

Abstract— The kinetics of the oxidation of a homologous series of 4,4'-di(n-alkyl)-bipyridinium (viologen) radicals by Ru(NH₃)₆³⁺ in vesicle suspensions was studied using laser flash photolysis. The viologen radicals were produced photochemically in the bilayer membrane phase of the vesicles by electron transfer from the triplet state of chlorophyll-α. At high concentrations of Ru(NH₃)₆³⁺, the rate of oxidation of the viologen radicals in the aqueous phase was limited by the rate at which the radicals diffused from the membrane to the aqueous phase. The exit rate constant decreased from 2 × 10⁵ s⁻¹ for the methyl viologen radical to 4 × 10³ s⁻¹ for the pentyl viologen radical. Both the exit rate constants and the calculated values for the equilibrium association constants of the viologen radicals were unexpectedly insensitive to the length of their alkyl substituents. This, as well as other data, suggests that the radicals that diffused into the aqueous phase tended to remain associated with the membrane-water interface.     

Luminol Oxidation by Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyzed by Tobacco Anionic Peroxidase: Steady-State Luminescent and Transient Kinetic Studies

The properties of a newly isolated anionic tobacco peroxidase from transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing the enzyme have been studied with respect to the chemiluminescent reaction of luminol oxidation. These were compared to the properties of horseradish peroxidase in the cooxidation of luminol and p -iodophenol, the enhanced chemiluminescence reaction. The pH, luminol and hydrogen peroxide concentrations were optimized for maximum sensitivity using the tobacco enzyme. The detection limit for the latter under the optimal conditions (2.5 m M luminol, 2 m M hydrogen peroxide, 100 m M Naborate buffer, pH 9.3) was about 0.1 p M , which is at least five times lower than that for horseradish peroxidase in enhanced chemiluminescence with p -iodophenol. The rate constants for the elementary steps of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction have been determined: k ₁= 4.9 × 10⁶ M ⁻¹ s¹, k ₂= 7.3 × 10⁶ M ⁻¹ s⁻¹, k ³= 2.1 × 10⁶ M ⁻¹ s⁻¹ (pH 9.3). The similarity of these rate constants is unusual for plant peroxidases. The high catalytic activity of tobacco peroxidase in the luminescent reaction is explained by the high reactivity of its Compound II toward luminol and the high stability of the holoenzyme with respect to heme dissociation. This seems to be a unique property of this particular enzyme among other plant peroxidases.     

INFLUENCE OF pH AND OXYGEN ON 315 mμ INACTIVATION AND THYMINE DIMERIZATION IN MUTANTS OF BACTERIOPHAGE T4

Abstract— 1. Irradiation with 315 mμ light inactivates phage T4v-x C, and T4v^-x- , and forms thymine dimers in their DNA.
2. Both the rates of inactivation and of thymine dimerization depend upon pH and gaseous environment during irradiation. The U.V. sensitivities are: 1 (pH 7, N₂, 03, 2.2 (pH 3.5, Oz), 3.3 (pH 3–5, N₂; and the corresponding rates of thymine dimerization 1: 2.5: 5.2. The number of thymine dimers per lethal hit observed withT4v-x + are: 5.7 (pH 7, N₂, O₂, 5.4 (pH 3.5, O₂, 10.9 (pH 3.5, N₂); and forT4v-x-: 4.6, 3.4, and 7.1 with the same sequence of conditions.
3. Also the photoreactivable sectors depend upon the environmental conditions at 315 mp inactivation. In T4v-x f this sector amounts to about 50 per cent at pH 7, 18 per cent at pH 3.5, O., and 29 per cent at pH 3.5, N, respectively.
4. The molecular basis of these findings is discussed. It is concluded that, besides thymine dimer, at least one other lethal photoproduct (probably a photoproduct of cytosine) is involved in photoreactivation.     

THYMINE DIMERIZATION IN L-STRAIN MAMMALIAN CELLS AFTER IRRADIATION WITH ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT AND THE SEARCH FOR REPAIR MECHANISMS

Abstract— The formation of thymine dimers in the DNA of L -strain mammalian cells after irradiation with ultraviolet light has been demonstrated. The amount of dimer formed rises with the dose of u.v. light.
In the course of post-irradiation incubation the thymine dimers remain in the TCA insoluble fraction and diminish as did the other thymidine-H³ derivatives with increasing incubation time. The dimer is not found in the soluble fraction. Thus, dimer excision (i.e. its liberation into the soluble fraction) as an expression of repair of radiation damage analogous to dark repair in E. coli was not found in these experiments.     

ULTRAVIOLET-INDUCED REACTIONS OF THYMINE AND URACIL IN THE PRESENCE OF CYSTEINE

Abstract —Ultraviolet-radiation photolysis of thymine in the presence of cysteine gives rise to four isomeric dimers, dihydrothymine, and at least five cysteine addition products. Similar reactions occur for uracil but the products have not all been characterized in detail. The addition reactions arise from the triplet state of the pyrimidine. The initial step is production of a hydropyrimidine radical, which then reacts with cysteine to give the addition products. The triplet is quenched by cysteine with a rate constant of about 2 times 10⁸ M^-1 s^-1 for thymine and 2–9 times 10⁸ for uracil. The total yield of products gives a lower-limit estimate of the triplet yield and hence of the intersystem-crossing efficiency. These studies, combined with earlier determinations of dimer yields, show that 93% of the thymine triplets which interact with another thymine molecule are quenched without forming stable dimers. For uracil, the corresponding figure is 75%.     

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SURVIVAL AND THYMINE-DIMER EXCISION IN ULTRAVIOLET-IRRADIATED ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract— The influence of amino acid prestarvation on both the resistance to u.v. light and excision of thymine dimers of bacterial strains E. coli B/r hcr ⁺ thy- trp ^-, E. coli B/r hcr ^-thy^- trp ^-, and E, coli 15 T^- 555–7 thy ^- meth ^- trp ^- arg ^- has been studied.
The prestarvation increased the resistance of all the strains but reasonably inhibited excision of thymine dimers. Thus the enhancement of u.v. resistance after amino acid prestarvation was not due to more complete excision of thymine dimers.     

TRANSIENT PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF SAFRANIN-O

Abstract— We have characterized the spectra, acidity constants and decay kinetics of the triplet and semireduced radical species of Safranin-O. Between pH 3.0 and 10.6, there are three triplet species denoted ³DH^{2 +}₂, ³DH⁺ and ³D, the p K _as being 7.5 and 9.2. All three triplet species exhibit first order decay, the rate constant for ³DH⁺ being ca. 5-fold lower than the rate constants of ³DH⁺ and ³D. Ascorbic acid and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) quench the triplet state under appropriate pH conditions and the pH dependencies of the yield of semireduced dye indicate that ³DH⁺ is more reactive than ³DH⁺ or ³D. With EDTA as the reducing agent, there is the additional requirement that at least one of the amino nitrogens be deprotonated to obtain a significant yield of semireduced dye. In these reactions, ascorbic acid is oxidized reversibly, but EDTA is oxidized irreversibly, so that with the latter reducing agent photolysis causes buildup of the leucodye, which on subsequent photolysis can reduce triplet state dye. With ascorbic acid as the reducing agent, the regeneration of the ground state dye is reversible, the decay of the semireduced radical being second order. In general, the transient photochemistry of Safranin-O resembles that of Thionine, the major difference being that the lifetimes of ³DH^{2 +}₂ and ³DH⁺ are much longer for Safranin-O than for Thionine.     

PULSE RADIOLYSIS STUDIES IN MODEL LIPID SYSTEMS: FORMATION AND BEHAVIOR OF PEROXY RADICALS IN FATTY ACIDS

Abstract— Radiolytic formation and peroxidation of fatty acid radicals have been investigated by pulse radiolysis techniques in oleate, linoleate, linolenate and arachidonate systems. A strong absorption band at 280 nm associated with conjugated radicals, R_conj, formed in polyunsaturated fatty acid moieties has been used as a probe for kinetic processes occurring at doubly allylic sites in the hydrocarbon chain. Formation of R_conj by O^- has been found to be more efficient than the less selective OH radical. Peroxidation of R_conj is shown to be somewhat slower, ( k _R+ O₂˜ 3 × 10⁸ M ^-1 s^-1), than O₂ reactions with radicals in oleate ( k _R+ O₂= 1 × 10⁹ M ^-1 s^-1). Peroxy radicals generated in these reactions disappear slowly by essentially second order processes (2 k RO₁˜ 10⁷ M ^-1 s^-1). The superoxide radical, O^-₂, shows little if any reactivity towards 0.01 M linolenate or arachidonate over periods of 20 s.     

THE HABER-WEISS CYCLE

Abstract— The Haber-Weiss cycle:
was investigated at low pH by radiolysis of oxygen or nitrogen saturated solutions of hydrogen peroxide. It was found that reaction 2 has a low rate constant: k ₂= 3.0 ± 0.6 M ^-1 s^-1 (pH 2.3, 22°C). The rate determining step of reaction 2 is most probably the transfer of an electron from a π₈* orbital of HO₂ to the empty _u* orbital of H₂O₂. Overlap between these two orbitals is hindered by the filled π₈* orbitals of H₂O₂. Fe(HI)EDTA catalyses reaction 2.     

THE PHOTOCHEMICAL INTERACTION BETWEEN THE TRIPLET STATE OF 8-METHOXYPSORALEN AND THE MELANIN PRECURSORL–3, 4 DIHYDROXYPHENYLALANINE

Abstract— The photochemical interaction between 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and the melanin precursorL–3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine(dopaH₂) has been studied using laser flash photolysis. Triplet excited 8-MOP was thus found to abstract electrons from dopaH₂ ( k ∼ 2 × 10⁹ dm³ mol^-1 s^-1) to form semireduced 8-MOP and semioxidised dopaH₂.The technique of pulse radiolysis was used to establish separately the spectra of (a) the semi-reduced form of 8-MOP at pH 6.5 and (b) the semioxidised forms of dopaH₂ at pH 6.5, 5.8, 4.6 and 3.3. The corresponding λ_max and extinction coefficients found were: for 8-MOP at pH 6.5, λ_max= 350 nm (= 9050 dm³ mol^-1 cm^-1); for dopa at pH 6.5, λ_max= 305 nm (ε= 12000 dm³ mol^-1 cm^-1) and for dopaH at pH 3.3, λ= 305 nm (ε= 5900 dm³ mol^-1 cm^-1).     

Depopulation of Highly Excited Singlet States of DNA Model Compounds: Quantum Yields of 193 and 245 nm Photoproducts of Pyrimidine Monomers and Dinucleoside Monophosphates

Abstract— Formation of uracil and orotic acid photodimers, uridine and 5'-UMP photohydrates, TpT photodimers and (6-4)photoproducts, dCpT photohydrates and (6-4)photo-products and UpU, CpC and CpU photohydrates were studied in neutral deoxygenated aqueous solution at room temperature upon irradiation at either 193 or 254 nm. The photoproducts were identified and quantified and the contribution from photoionization to substrate decomposition, using λ_irr= 193 nm, was separated. The ratio of the quantum yields of respective stable products,η=φ¹⁹³/φ²⁵⁴ is indicative of the yield of internal conversion from the second to the first excited singlet state, S₂→ S₁. For the observed photodimers η decreases from 0.94 for uracil to 0.7 for TpT and further to 0.55 for orotic acid. For the (6-4)photoproducts of TpT and dCpT T| = 0.5-0.8 and for the photohydrates in the cases of UpU, CpC, CpU and dCpT TJ ranges from 0.55 to 1.     

Ab initio studies of methanol, methanethiol and methylamine dimer

Quantum chemical calculations are used to provide structural, vibrational and energetical information on the dimers of the methanol, methylamine and methanethiol systems. These systems were studied employing the DFT(B3LYP) and MP2 methods together with the 6-31+G^** and 6-311+G^** basis sets. We found two distinct potential minima for methylamine (one of them is a transition structure) and methanethiol, and one for the methanol dimer. The properties of these dimers are compared with those of the dimers (H₂O)₂, (NH₃)₂ and (CH₃SH)₂. The interactions in these dimers were analyzed using electron density properties at the bond critical point.     

Glycosylated Porphyrins: Characterization of Association in Aqueous Solutions by Absorption and Fluorescence Spectroscopies and Determination of Singlet Oxygen Yield in Organic Media

The behavior of a series of porphyrins substituted at meso positions by para -phenyl-β- d -glucose groups is examined in aqueous solutions by absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopies. This series includes tetra-, tri- and diglycosylated compounds, the last being substituted at adjacent or opposite meso positions. The other subsituents are alkyl chains and, in one case, a fluorophenyl group. Although all these compounds dimerize in aqueous solutions, the dimerization constants span over four orders of magnitiude (K _d = 1.3 × 10⁵–1.9 × 10⁹ M⁻¹). The dimer stability is strongly dependent on the nature and the arrangement of the substituents. The diglycosylated derivative substituted at adjacent meso positions yields the most stable dimer that is likely to present an offset stacked geometry. The dimer structures expected from the symmetry of the various compounds correlated well with the optical spectra that display exciton splitting in the Soret band. The fluorescence of the dimers is quenched in all derivatives with the noticeable exception of the adjacent diglycosylated derivative. All the compounds studied photosensitize the formation of singlet oxygen with yields ranging between 0.54 and 0.81. A fairly linear correlation between the yield and the number of aryl groups at meso positions is observed.     

LASER FLASH PHOTOKINETIC STUDIES OF ROSE BENGAL SENSITIZED PHOTODYNAMIC INTERACTIONS OF NUCLEOTIDES AND DNA

Abstract— Laser flash photolysis studies of the production of the triplet state of the xanthene dye, rose bengal (RB), have been carried out. The reactions of this state with oxygen to form singlet oxygen and the superoxide anion radical have been observed and yields measured. Quenching of RB(T₁) by oxygen leads to approximately 75% singlet oxygen and 20% superoxide. The reactivity of these species-RB(T₁), O₂(¹Δ_g) and O₂^-—with four nucleotides and DNA have been determined. Only guanine residues showed any noticeable reaction at neutral pH. At higher pH guanine rate constants increased. The consequences to biological photodynamic processes are discussed.     

PHYTOCHROME CONVERSION BY ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

Abstract— Light absorbed primarily by the protein of phytochrome is active in transforming both the red and far-red absorbing forms. P _r and P _fr. The ratio of quantum yields for the conversions of P _r and P _fr by u.v. radiation (φ_r/φ_fr)_u.v.= 1.5 and does not differ significantly from the ratio obtained with red and far-red light absorbed directly by the chromophores (φ_r/φ_fr)v_vis. Thus, the efficiency of energy transfer from protein to chromophore is essentially the same for both forms of the chromoprotein. The ratio of the relative quantum yields for u.v. and visible light (φ^r)^u.v./(φ^r)^vis was 0.32 indicating that 30–35 per cent of the light energy absorbed by the protein was transferred to the chromophore.