Adsorption Kinetics and Binding Studies of Protein Quantum Dots Interaction: A Spectroscopic Approach

Protein Quantum dots interaction is crucial to investigate for better understanding of the biological interactions of QDs. Here in, the model protein Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to evaluate the process of protein QDs interaction and adsorption on QDs surface. The modified Stern-Volmer quenching constant (K_a), number of binding sites (n) at different temperatures (298 308 and 318 K?±?1) and corresponding thermodynamic parameters (ΔG?<?0, ΔH?<?0, and ΔS?>?0) were calculated. The quenching constant (K_s) and number of binding sites (n) is found to be inversely proportional to temperature. It signified that static quenching mechanism is dominant over dynamic quenching. The standard free energy change (ΔG?<?0) implies that the binding process is spontaneous, while the enthalpy change (ΔH?<?0) suggest that the binding of QDs to BSA is an enthalpy-driven process. The standard entropy change (ΔS?>?0) suggest that hydrophobic force played a pivotal role in the interaction process. The adsorption process were assessed and evaluated by pseudofirst-order, pseudosecond-order kinetic model, and intraparticle diffusion model.     

Synthesis and Vibrational Spectroscopic Investigation of Methyl L-Prolinate Hydrochloride: A Computational Insight

In our present work, methyl L-prolinate hydrochloride has been synthesized from L-proline amino acid and characterized by Fourier transform infrared and Fourier transform Raman spectra via experimental and computational methods. Ab initio Hartree-Fock and density functional theory (B3LYP) calculations have been made for the structure, and atomic charge distributions were also predicted for the title compound by using the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Predicted vibrational frequencies have been assigned and compared with experimental Fourier transform infrared and Fourier transform Raman spectra. The thermodynamic properties such as heat capacity, enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs energy have been calculated at different temperatures. The calculated highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy show the charge transfer behavior within the molecule.     

牛血红蛋白与纳米雄黄相互作用的光谱研究

采用紫外-可见吸收光谱、荧光光谱研究牛血红蛋白(bovine hemoglobin,简称BHb)与纳米雄黄的相互作用。从紫外-可见吸收光谱可观察到,随着纳米雄黄浓度的增加,牛血红蛋白406 nm附近的特征Soret吸收带红移至413 nm,且强度逐渐降低。强度的降低表明纳米雄黄可能使部分血红素辅基逐渐从它们的键腔中脱离出来。特征峰位的红移推测为纳米雄黄中的砷结合了血红蛋白中的氧,诱导血红蛋白脱氧,变成脱氧血红蛋白,其构象由R态转变成T态。由荧光光谱研究可以得出随着纳米雄黄浓度的增加,牛血红蛋白338 nm处的荧光强度逐渐减弱,Stern-Volmer方程分析表明,纳米雄黄静态猝灭牛血红蛋白的内源荧光。紫外-可见吸收光谱与荧光光谱的计算结果均表明,牛血红蛋白与纳米雄黄的结合常数k的数量级达到109。     

Protein Binding on the Surface of Magnetic Nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are widely used in the areas of biology and biomedicine. The interaction between MNPs and proteins plays a crucial role in the bioapplication of MNPs, and the binding affinity of protein–MNPs is the manifestation of this interaction. The binding affinity of some proteins with MNPs modified in various ways is determined by fluorescence quenching. The results show that the binding affinity depends on the properties of both the MNPs and the proteins. The higher the surface curvature of MNPs, the larger the MNP, and the higher the binding affinity. No significant difference is found in binding affinity between MNPs with different modification methods. For proteins, the binding affinity depends on the properties of individual proteins, such as the amino acid sequence, the native protein conformation in solution, the isoelectric point, and surface potential. In general, the binding affinity is higher for proteins with cysteine residues on the surface. In addition, pH affects the binding affinity between proteins and MNPs; positively charged proteins and lower pH are more suitable for MNP binding due to electrostatic forces.     

光谱法及分子模拟研究青蒿素与小牛胸腺DNA的相互作用

在pH 7.4的Tris-HCl缓冲溶液中,采用紫外吸收光谱、荧光光谱结合溴化乙锭（EB）荧光探针、共振散射光谱以及DNA熔点（T_m）实验和分子模拟等技术,研究了青蒿素（QHS）与小牛胸腺DNA（ctDNA）分子间结合位点与结合机制。光谱实验结果显示,QHS与DNA发生减色效应,QHS的加入使EB-DNA体系发生静态荧光猝灭,QHS与DNA作用后其467 nm处共振散射峰锐增,与QHS作用引起DNA的T_m值升高5℃,说明QHS竞争性地嵌插入DNA的碱基对中。通过计算获得QHS与DNA间结合常数K_a为1.43×10³ L/mol（298 K）、0.99×10³ L/mol（304 K）。分子模拟结果表明,QHS吡喃环部分结构嵌插到DNA小沟区域GA碱基对间,氢键和范德华力是两者间结合的主要非共价作用方式,该结论与光谱法和热力学所得结果一致。     

HIV-1 蛋白酶与抑制剂3G3相互作用机制的分子动力学研究

HIV-1蛋白酶已经成为艾滋病治疗药物设计的重要靶标。本文采用分子动力学模拟和MM-PB/SA方法计算了抑制剂3G3与HIV-1蛋白酶的结合自由能,结果表明范德华作用驱动了3G3与蛋白酶的结合。同时也采用了基于残基的自由能分解方法计算了抑制剂-残基相互作用,结果证明残基Ala28,Val32/Val32′,Ile47,Gly49,Ile50/Ile50′,Ile84/Ile84′和Pro81′ 能与蛋白酶产生较为强烈的相互作用,同时也表明CH-π,π-π和 CH-O相互作用控制了3G3与蛋白酶的结合。我们期望这个研究能为抗艾滋病的药物设计提供理论上的指导。     

Formation of Pyrogenic Silica: Spectroscopic and Quantum Chemical Insight

This article describes the genesis of amorphous silica under high-heat conditions from SiO₂ molecules through protoparticles, primary particles, and aggregates to agglomerates using vibrational spectra and quantum chemical simulations data. The impact of small molecules (water, HCl, CO₂) is also discussed. The article also explains the nature of the pyrogenic silica amorphism.     

Spectroscopic Study of the Interaction of Mitoxantrone with Copper(I), Copper(II), and Neocuproine

Both reductive and oxidatlve mode of metabolism have been hypothesized for the antitumor agent mitoxantrone. This work aims to better understand the redox properties of mitoxantrone in the presence of the physiological redox couple, copper(I)/copper(II), by means of polarograpy and spectrophotometry. The first quasi-reversible one-electron reduction of mitoxantrone to the semiquinone and the second reduction to the hydroquinone have been shown to be considerably affected by copper. Visible spectra of mitoxantrone-copper mixtures in nitrogen and oxygen purged solutions taken in a one-week period exhibit varying degrees of complexation and oxido-reduction.

When copper(II), neocuprolne and mitoxantrone are mixed in a certain ratio in pH 7. 4 phosphate buffer solution, two new peaks at 584 and 632 nm emerge in the spectra indicating a ternary charge transfer complex. The complex atoichiometry was established as Cu(IT): neocuproine: tritoxan-trone = 2:4:1 by Job's method of continuous variations. The ternary complex is sensitive to the relative concentrations of mitoxantrone and copper(II), an excess of the latter giving rise to complete red ox products. This complex may be important in modeling the drug's oxidative mode of ant tumor action.     

Binding of Puerarin to Human Serum Albumin: A Spectroscopic Analysis and Molecular Docking

Puerarin is a widely used compound in Chinese traditional medicine and exhibits many pharmacological activities. Binding of puerarin to human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated by ultraviolet absorbance, fluorescence, circular dichroism and molecular docking. Puerarin caused a static quenching of intrinsic fluorescence of HSA, the quenching data was analyzed by Stern–Volmer equation. There was one primary puerarin binding site on HSA with a binding constant of 4.12 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ at 298 K. Thermodynamic analysis by Van Hoff equation found enthalpy change () and entropy change () were −28.01 kJ/mol and −5.63 J/mol K respectively, which indicated the hydrogen bond and Van der waas interaction were the predominant forces in the binding process. Competitive experiments showed a displacement of warfarin by puerarin, which revealed that the binding site was located at the drug site I. Puerarin was about 2.22 nm far from the tryptophan according to the observed fluorescence resonance energy transfer between HSA and puerarin. Molecular docking suggested the hydrophobic residues such as tyrosine (Tyr) 150, Tyr 148, Tyr 149 and polar residues such as lysine (Lys) 199, Lys 195, arginine 257 and histidine 242 played an important role in the binding reaction.     

玻璃基质与纳米颗粒相互影响的光谱学研究

通过低温选择激发玻璃陶瓷中的LaF3:Tm3+的1D2能级,成功地分开了两种局域环境中Tm3+离子的发射谱,使一些频率的发射谱仅来自于晶相,而另一些则仪来自于玻璃相.讨论了玻璃陶瓷中形成玻璃的氧化物和以晶相析出的氟化物之间的相互作用对两种局域环境中Tm3+离子的光学性能的影响.结果表明:晶粒较大时,氧化物玻璃对处于纳米晶体局域环境的稀土离子的影响减弱,纳米晶体对处于氧化物玻璃局域环境的稀土离子的影响增强;晶粒较小时,氧化物玻璃和晶粒接触面的增加会降低处于纳米晶体局域环境的稀土离子的发光效率,但纳米晶体对处于氧化物玻璃局域环境的稀土离子的影响减弱.晶粒越大,氧化物玻璃对处于纳米品体局域环境的稀土离子的发光影响越小,发光性能越好.玻璃基质中SiO2的含量能影响两种局域环境的Tm3+离子发光效率.     

p53-MDM2相互作用的分子力学和动力学研究

p53-MDM2相互作用的抑制已经成为治疗癌症的新方法. 本文将分子动力学模拟和MM-PBSA(molecular mechanics/passion-Boltzman surface area)方法结合起来研究MDM2-p53相互作用机制. 结果证明范德华相互作用驱动了MDM2与p53的结合. 基于残基-残基相互作用的计算不仅证明p53的三个残基Phe19′, Trp23′和Leu26′与MDM2有较强的相互作用,而且还发现另外两个残基Leu22′和Pro27′也与MDM2有较强的相互作用,这为抗癌药物的设计提供了新靶标. 同时也证明CH-CH,CH-π和π-π相互作用驱动了p53在MDM2疏水性裂缝中的结合.     

光谱法研究普利沙星与小牛胸腺DNA的结合作用

利用紫外光谱,荧光光谱及流体动力学方法,研究了普利沙星与小牛胸腺DNA的作用机理。讨论了不同浓度普利沙星与DNA作用的紫外光谱,荧光光谱,磷酸盐效应以及离子强度对两者相互作用的影响,测量了DNA的热变性温度和粘度。从紫外光谱图上看出DNA发生了明显的减色效应, 说明普利沙星可能与DNA发生作用。普利沙星的荧光光谱发生了有规律的猝灭,最大发射峰发生红移, 猝灭常数为3.1×104 L·mol-1, 为静态猝灭,表明普利沙星与DNA结合生成了二元复合物。磷酸盐效应表明普利沙星与DNA的磷酸基团不发生静电作用。普利沙星引起了DNA的热变性温度略微升高(≤7℃)和DNA粘度略微下降, 表明普利沙星与DNA之间不存在插入作用, 只是在DNA的外部发生沟槽作用。     

Quantum Chemical Insight into Molecular Structure,Spectroscopic and Nonlinear Optical Studies on Methylene bis(dithiobenzoate)

Optics and Spectroscopy - In this study, the methylene bis(dithiobenzoate) molecule, (C15H12S4), as a bioactive molecule has been subjected to quantum chemical computations using density functional...     

Binding of an Anti-inflammatory Drug Lornoxicam with Blood Proteins: Insights from Spectroscopic Investigations

The interaction between an anti-inflammatory drug, lornoxicam (LXM) and protein (human serum albumin and bovine serum albumin) was studied by spectroscopic techniques (Fluorescence, synchronous, FT-IR, UV-vis absorption and circular dichroism). The quenching mechanism of fluorescence of the protein by the drug was discussed. Based on the interaction studies carried out at different temperatures by spectrofluorometry, the binding constant and the number of binding sites for drug on protein have been evaluated. The nature of binding force operating between the drug and protein was proposed to be electrostatic and hydrophobic based on thermodynamic parameters. The distance r between the donor (protein) and acceptor (drug) was determined based on the Förster’s theory of non-radiation energy transfer and found to be 2.38 nm and 2.56 nm for LXM-BSA and LXM-HSA respectively. Displacement studies with different site probes revealed that the drug bound to the hydrophobic pocket located in sub domain IIA; that is to say, Trp-214 was near or within the binding site. Circular dichroism data of protein in the presence of drug revealed the decreased α-helicity and hence changes in secondary structure of protein. The effects of some common ions were also investigated.     

Cyclic Azacyanines: Experimental and Computational Studies on Spectroscopic Properties and Unique Reactivity

The absorption and fluorescence properties of cyclic azacyanine (CAC) derivatives were examined in several solvents. The presence of electron donating or withdrawing groups on the CAC impacts spectroscopic properties. The general solvent relaxation displayed by azacyanine derivatives is in accordance with Lippert-Mataga’s prediction but exception is noted in the case of protic solvent due to specific hydrogen bonding interactions. Fluorescence lifetime decay studies indicate a relaxation time in the nanosecond timescale with mono exponential decay. Donating substituents markedly increase the excited state lifetime, whereas withdrawing groups marginally decrease the excited state lifetime. Quantum chemical computations were used to explore the origins of the reactivity and spectroscopic properties of CACs; results are consistent with a model in which regioselectivity results from differences in mechanistic steps occurring after initial attack by hydroxide on the CAC.      

Spectroscopic and Molecular Modeling Based Approaches to Study on the Binding Behavior of DNA with a Copper (II) Complex

Blocking the division of tumor cells by small-molecules is currently of great interest for the design of new antitumor drugs. The interaction of a new metal complex with DNA was investigated through several techniques. Absorption spectroscopy and gel electrophoresis studies on the interaction of the Cu-complex of (2a-4mpyH)₂ [Cu(pyzdc)₂ (H₂O)₂].6 H₂O with DNA have shown that this complex can bind to CT-DNA with binding constant 3.99?×?10⁵ M^?1. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) responses of the metal complex in the presence of CT-DNA have shown that the metal complex can bind to CT-DNA through partial intercalation mode and this is consistent with molecular docking analysis, quenching process and thermal denaturation experiments. The cytotoxicity of this complex has been evaluated by MTT assay. The results of cell viability assay on DU145 cell line revealed that the metal complex had cytotoxic effects.     

Binding of Quercetin to Lysozyme as Probed by Spectroscopic Analysis and Molecular Simulation

The binding of quercetin to lysozyme (LYSO) in aqueous solution was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and molecular simulation at pH 7.4. The fluorescence quenching of LYSO by addition of quercetin is due to static quenching, the binding constants, K _a , were 3.63 × 10⁴, 3.31 × 10⁴ and 2.85 × 10⁴ L·mol⁻¹ at 288, 298 and 308 K, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy change, ∆H, and entropy change, ∆S, were noted to be −7.56 kJ·mol⁻¹ and 61.07 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹. The results indicated that hydrophobic interaction may play a major role in the binding process. The distance r between the donor (LYSO) and acceptor (quercetin) was determined as 3.34 nm by the fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy showed the polarity around the tryptophan residues increased and the hydrophobicity decreased. Furthermore, the study of molecular simulation indicated that quercetin could bind to the active site (a pocket made up of 24 amino-acid residues) of LYSO mainly via hydrophobic interactions and that there were hydrogen interactions between the residues (Gln 57, Ile 98) of LYSO and quercetin. The accessible surface area (ASA) calculation verified the important roles of tryptophan (Trp) residues during the binding process.     

Spectroscopic Studies on the Interaction Between Aucubin and Bovine Serum Albumin Without or With Copper II or Iron III

The binding of aucubin to bovine serum albumin in the absence or presence of copper II or iron III has been studied by fluorescence, UV-Vis absorbance, synchronous fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectroscopies at pH 7.40. The results of fluorescence showed that the static quenching mechanism played a major role without or with copper II or iron III, and the quenching constant, binding constant, and binding site number decreased with copper II or iron III at three different temperatures (310 K, 300 K, and 290 K). This indicated that the drug would take effect more promptly in the presence of metal ions than in the absence of them. Thermodynamic parameters revealed that hydrophobic forces played vital roles and the binding process was spontaneous without or with copper II or iron III. The results of synchronous fluorescence showed that the polarity of the microenvironment around tryptophan and tyrosine residues changed insignificantly without or with copper II or iron III. The results of circular dichroism showed that there were slight reductions in the α-helix content of bovine serum albumin. In conclusion, copper II or iron III could reduce the binding ability between aucubin and bovine serum albumin, resulting in enhanced maximum effects of aucubin. The relative knowledge would contribute to the pharmaceutical development and clinical application of aucubin.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Spectroscopy Letters to view the supplemental file.