TRIPLET EXCITED STATE OF FUROCOUMARINS: REACTION WITH NUCLEIC ACID BASES AND AMINO ACIDS

Abstract. The triplet-triplet absorption spectra of psoralen, xanthotoxin, angelicin and bergapten have been determined using the technique of pulse radiolysis and laser flash photolysis in benzene and water. The extinction coefficients of the triplet transitions have been measured and used to determine the singlet → triplet intersystem crossing quantum yields for 353 nm excitation. These yields vary considerably in passing from benzene to water as solvent. The highest yields were obtained for psoralen and angelicin in water, being 0.45 and 0.33, respectively. Reaction rate constants of the psoralen and angelicin triplets with various pyrimidine and purine nucleic acid bases and amino acids have been measured. The high reactivities support the suggestion that the photosensitising properties of furocou-marins are mediated by the corresponding furocoumarin triplet states. The similarly high S → T quantum yields, and triplet reactivities with pyrimidines of psoralen and angelicin, also support the suggestion that the observed differences in photosensitising properties of these two psoralens may be due to their differing geometries, which allow psoralen itself to intercalate DNA more easily than angelicin. The efficient reactions also found for psoralen and angelicin triplets with amino acids suggest that such triplets in vivo may also react with these components. Significant damage may thus be caused to protein as well as nucleic acid components of the cell.     

TRIPLET EXCITED STATE OF THE 4'5' PHOTOADDUCT OF PSORALEN AND THYMINE

Abstract— The triplet-triplet absorption spectrum of the 4'5' psoralen-thymine mono-adduct has been determined in water and methanol using the technique of laser flash photolysis. The extinction coefficient of the triplet was measured by the energy-transfer method with retinol triplet as standard, and used to determine the singlet → triplet intersystem crossing quantum yield for 353 nm excitation. Reaction rate constants for mono-adduct triplet with thymine and tryptophan were measured in water. Long-lived transient absorptions detected after quenching the mono-adduct triplet with thymine and tryptophan are assigned mainly to the corresponding mono-adduct radical anion, whose spectrum was established in separate pulse radiolysis studies of the mono-adduct in aqueous formate.
The significant singlet → triplet quantum yields found for the mono-adduct might be consistent with the involvement of triplet excited mono-adduct in DNA cross-link formation, as also may be the high reactivity obtained for the triplet with thymine. The initial quenching products observed resulted from a charge-transfer reaction.     

SINGLET ENERGY TRANSFER BETWEEN AROMATIC AMINO ACIDS AND NUCLEIC ACID BASES. THEORETICAL CALCULATIONS

Abstract— Critical Forster distances for excitation energy transfer at the singlet level between the tyrosyl or tryptophyl residues of proteins and nucleic acid bases have been calculated. Efficient singlet energy transfer can be expected from tyrosine to nucleic acid bases both at room temperature (10 0 < 17 A) and at low temperature (20 < R₀ < 23 Å). At low temperature nucleic acid bases should be able to transfer their singlet excitation energy to the indole ring of tryptophan with a reasonable probability (9 < R₀ < 15 A).     

INTERACTION OF DISULFIDE GROUPS WITH NUCLEIC ACID BASES

Abstract— Low temperature luminescence studies have provided evidence for interactions between the disulfide group of cystamine and adenine bases in cystamine-poly(A) complexes and in cystamine-adenosine aggregates. A quenching of adenine phosphorescence by cystamine was observed. At room temperature complex formation between cystamine and poly(A) was followed by proton magnetic resonance, absorption spectrophotometry and fluorescence using competition with a fluorescent peptide to monitor the binding process. These base-disulfide interactions could be involved in the photochemistry of protein-nucleic acid complexes.     

PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTION BETWEEN PROTEIN AND NUCLEIC ACIDS: PHOTOADDITION OF TRYPTOPHAN TO PYRIMIDINE BASES*1

Abstract— The photochemical interactions between tryptophan and nucleic acid bases were studied. When aqueous solutions of tryptophan were irradiated (Λ > 260 nm) at neutral pH in the presence of each of the nucleic acid bases, pyrimidine bases but not purine bases were altered. Air was found to decrease the rate of reaction. Two classes of photoproducts were isolated by thin layer and ion-exchange chromatography and partially characterized. One was the dihydro-pyrimidine forms of the base (see Reeve and Hopkins, 1979) and the other consisted of tryptophan-pyrimidine photoadducts. Four tryptophan-uracil and two tryptophan-thymine adducts each with a 1:1 molecular stochiometry were found. Spectroscopic measurements and a positive reaction with Ehrlich's reagent indicate that the indole nucleus remained intact, but that the pyrimidine base was reduced at the 5, 6 double bond. The absence of a positive ninhydrin reaction and the effect of pH on the quantum yield of the photoadduct formation indicated that the ionized a-amino acid group of tryptophan was involved in photoadduct formation. Indole derivatives lacking an a-amino group were also found to form photoadducts with pyrimidine bases. The experimental results are consistent with a reaction mechanism involving tryptophan excitation to the first excited singlet state as the initial event. Radical scavenging experiments indicate that tryptophan free radicals, formed by electron dissociation from the excited state, react with the ground state pyrimidine.     

STUDIES ON THE TRIPLET EXCITED STATE OF 4-THIOURIDINE

Abstract— The absorption spectra, lifetimes, extinction coefficients and intersystem crossing quantum yields of the lowest triplet T ₁ of 4-thiouridine have been determined both in acetonitrile and in water. An ordering of ^1,3(n,π)* and ^1,3(π,π)* states is suggested. Triplet quenching rate constants with various pyrimidine bases or amino acids are reported.     

AN EXTENDED SEMI-EMPIRICAL MOLECULAR ORBITAL STUDY OF THE * EXCITED STATES OF NUCLEIC ACID BASES

Spectroscopic CNDO/S and INDO/S calculations of the * spectra of the nucleic acid bases uracil, cytosine, adenine and guanine were performed. Oscillator strengths, polarizations and transition densities are displayed for transitions to 140 nm using several parameter sets and demonstrating the effect of doubly excited configurations. Inclusion of near-neighbor off-diagonal transition density elements greatly assists in making state correlations and assignments. Interesting effects regarding electron repulsion parameterization are noted. The results are compared with recently reported experimental results and several serious points of disagreement are noted.     

CHEMICAL REACTION RATES OF AMINO ACIDS WITH SINGLET OXYGEN

Abstract— The chemical reactions of amino acids with singlet oxygen have been measured in D₂O solution where the singlet oxygen was generated directly by irradiation of the oxygen ³∑_g^-→¹δ_g+ lv electronic transaction with the 1.06 μm output of an Nd-Yag laser. Chemical reaction was measured as amino acid loss by an amino acid analyzer or by fluorescence in the cases of tryptophan and tyrosine.
The chemical rate constants, in units of 10⁷ M ^-1s^-1, are histidine 10, tryptophan 3, methionine 1.7, tyrosine 0.8 and alanine 0.2, In the cases of histidine, methionine and alanine the interaction appears to be entirely chemical, i.e. there is no evidence for physical quenching in addition to the chemical reaction. The histidine chemical reaction rate constant shows an increase with pD with a p K of 6.9.     

THE INFLUENCE OF THE NITRO GROUP ON THE DISSOCIATIONS OF SOME AROMATIC ACIDS AND BASES IN THEIR LOWEST EXCITED TRIPLET STATES*

Abstract— –Estimation of lowest excited triplet and singlet state dissociation constants of some nitro-aromatic acids and bases, from shifts in their phosphorescence and absorption spectra, respectively, indicate that intramolecular charge transfer to the nitro group is much more important in the lowest excited singlet state than in the ground or lowest excited triplet states. As a result, the effect of a nitro group on the acidity of the lowest excited singlet state of an acid or base is more exaggerated than that on the ground or lowest excited triplet state of the same compound. Furthermore, the basicity of the nitro group is greatly enhanced in the lowest excited singlet state. On this basis the increased rate of photoreduction of nitrobenzene in acidic solutions is found to be thermodynamically unfeasible in the lowest excited triplet state. Although the reaction is thermodynamically feasible in the lowest excited singlet state, the short lifetime of that state may make the reaction kinetically unfeasible. Rate-Hammett acidity profiles are therefore inadequate to alone establish the mechanism of photoreduction of nitrobenzene.     

FLUORESCENCE QUENCHING OF INDOLIC COMPOUNDS BY ALIPHATIC AMINO ACIDS. EVIDENCE FOR EXCITED STATE COMPLEXES

Abstract The fluorescence quenching of indole, tryptophan, tryptamine and indole-3-acetic by aliphatic amino acids was studied. The bimolecular rate constant ( k _q) for the deactivation of the excited state was determined. The k _q values were in the range 0.6 × 10⁸–1.6 × 10⁹ M ^–1 S^–1 and they increased in the order tryptophan < tryptamine < indole ≈ indole-3-acetic acid. When the rate constant was corrected for diffusion al effects a good linear correlation was found between the log ( k '_q) and the ionization equilibrium constant of the carboxylic group of the amino acid (p ^k _a1). This was interpreted as arising from a charge transfer mechanism in which the indole moiety acts as an electron donor and the carbonyl group of the amino acid as the acceptor.
The activation parameter for the quenching processes were also determined. The ΔH^≠ values were in the range —4.0 to +4.0 kcal/mol and the ΔH^≠ in the range –7 to –37 e.u. For the systems with lower values of k _q negative values for ΔH^≠ were observed. A good enthalpy-entropy compensation was found with an isokinetic temperature of 229 K. These results suggest that a common mechanism is operating for all the systems and that it involves the formation of an excited state complex between the indolic compound and the amino acid.     

4',5'-SUBSTITUTED METHYLANGELICINS: PHOTOCYCLOADDUCTS WITH PYRIMIDINE BASES OF DNA

The isolation and characterization of photocycloadducts with pyrimidine bases from DNA samples irradiated (365 nm) in the presence of four 4',5'-substituted methylangelicins was performed. All these furocoumarins yielded mainly the cis-syn furan-side cycloadduct with thymine. For 4',5'-dimethyl-, 5,4',5'-trimethyl- and 6,4',5'-trimethylangelicin this adduct was accompanied by two pyrone-side adducts ( cis-syn and cis-anti ), whereas the 4,4',5'-trimethyl derivative gave the furan-side adduct with cytosine.
The characterization of the regio- and stereochemistry of the adducts was accomplished by ¹H NOE (nuclear Overhauser effect) and ¹H-¹³C HMBC (heteronuclear multiple-bond connectivity) spectroscopies.
The formation of different cycloadducts in DNA by the various derivatives highlights the role of the methyl groups in determining the regio- and stereochemistry of the cycloaddition.     

PHOTOCHEMICAL ADDITION OF AMINO ACIDS AND PEPTIDES TO POLYURIDYLIC ACID

Abstract— The quantum yields for photochemical addition of glycine and the L-amino acids commonly occurring in proteins (excluding proline) to polyuridylic acid have been determined in deoxygenated phosphate buffer at pH 7, using a fluorescamine assay technique. All twenty amino acids were found to be reactive, with cysteine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, tyrosine, arginine, lysine and methionine being the most reactive. The analogous quantum yields for a series of eighteen dipeptides of the form glycyl X (X being one of the commonly occurring amino acids, including proline), of L-alanyl-L-tryptophan, of the tripeptides L-seryl-L-seryl-L-serine and L-threonyl-L-threonyl-L-threonine, of the tetrapeptide L-cystine- bis -glycine, and of the lysine derivative N_α-acetyllysine were also measured. All were found to be reactive toward photoaddition to poly U.     

ISOTHERMAL LUMINESCENCE AND THERMO-LUMINESCENCE OF NUCLEIC ACID BASES FOLLOWING γ-IRRADIATION

Abstract— The emission spectra of radiation induced isothermal luminescence (ITL) and the thermolu-minescence (TL) of purines and pyrimidines of nucleic acids and analogue 6-azauracil in the form of pellets of dry polycrystalline powders have been studied at 77 K, and compared with their low temperature fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra. The qualitative and quantitative measurements of isothermal luminescence and thermoluminescence show that the two result from the same radiative transitions. The thermoluminescence emission was observed to coincide with the phosphorescence emission of the compounds in all the cases. The thermoluminescence of the pyrimidines and their analogue, however, have shown an additional component corresponding to their fluorescence in the ultraviolet region. An extension of the Weissbluth model based on the location of the electron traps in relation to the excited states of the compounds is proposed to explain their thermoluminescence emission.     

PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS OF AROMATIC KETONES WITH NUCLEIC ACIDS AND THEIR COMPONENTS I—. PURINE AND PYRIMIDINE BASES AND NUCLEOSIDES*.

Abstract— The photochemical reactions of benzophenone and acetophenone with purine and pyrimidine derivatives in aqueous solutions have been investigated by flash photolysis and steady-state experiments. Upon excitation of these two ketones in aqueous solutions, two transient species are observed: molecules in their triplet state and ketyl radicals. The triplet state lifetimes are 65 μsec for benzophenone and 125 μsec for acetophenone. The ketyl radicals disappear by a second order reaction, controlled by diffusion. In the presence of pyrimidine derivatives, the triplet state is quenched and the ketyl radical concentration is decreased without any change in its kinetics of disappearance. Ketone molecules in their triplet state react with purine derivatives leading to an increase in the yield of ketyl radicals due to H-atom abstraction from the purines. Steady-state experiments show that benzophenone and acetophenone irradiated in aqueous solution at wavelengths longer than 290 nm undergo photochemical reactions. The rate of these photochemical reactions is increased in the presence of pyrimidine derivatives and even more in the presence of purine derivatives. Following energy transfer from the triplet state of benzophenone to diketopyrimidines, cyclobutane dimers are formed. The energy transfer rate decreases in the order orotic acid > thymine > uracil. Benzophenone molecules in their triplet state can also react chemically with pyrimidine derivatives to give addition photoproducts. All these results are discussed with respect to photosensitized reactions in nucleic acids involving ketones as sensitizers.     

THE INTERACTION OF ETHYL BENZOATE AND TRIFLUOROACETIC ACID IN EXCITED STATE

This paper is concerned with the interaction of ethyl benzoate (EBA) and trifluoroaceticacid (TFA) molecules in the excited state by measurements of steady--state and transient fluo-rescence spectra at room and low temperatures. The results show that not only the 1:1 exci-plex but also the 2:1 triplex between EBA and TFA was formed. The formation pathway ofthe triplex is that the exciplex formed at first, then by the interaction with the EBA mole-cule it transformed into triplex. But it could not be formed by the dimer of EBA by interac-tion with TFA. The dimer of EBA is confirmed in the concentrated solution. So there arefour components in EBA/TFA--concentrated solution and their fluorescence lifetimes aremeasured respectively.     

SOME PROPERTIES OF THE TRIPLET EXCITED STATE OF THE PHOTOSENSITIZING FUROCOUMARIN: 3-CARBETHOXYPSORALEN

Abstract— 3-Carbethoxypsoralen (3-CPs) has been tested in the photochemotherapy of psoriasis. It only forms monoadducts with DNA and is being considered as a non-carcinogenic alternative to 8-MOP which itself forms DNA crosslinks that arc difficult to repair. Using laser flash photolysis or pulse radiolysis, the triplet state of 3-CPs, a possible intermediate in photosensitization, has been generated in several solvents: ethanol, water and benzene. The triplet lifetime, extinction coefficient and quantum efficiency of formation have been measured. Triplet reactivities towards (i) the solvents used, (ii) 3-CPs, (iii) oxygen, (iv) tryptophan and (v) tyrosine, leading, respectively, to photoadditions with water, ethanol and 3-CPs, to ¹O₂, semioxidized tryptophan and semioxidized tyrosine, (vi) thymine and (vii) uracil have been investigated. The dark binding of 3-CPs to DNA has been studied by comparing the reactivity of e_aq^- with free 3-CPs, free DNA and the 3-CPs DNA complex. Some photophysical and photochemical properties of 4',5'di-hydro-3-carbethoxypsoralen(DH–3-CPs), model of the main fluorescent photo-product of 3-CPs, have also been investigated. Biological consequences of the photochemical properties of 3-CPs andDH–3-CPs have been studied in a cellular system (haploid yeast).     

杂环光化学——Ⅲ. 核酸碱基衍生物的电子光谱研究

测定了脲嘧啶、胸腺嘧啶、6-氮杂脲嘧啶、6-氮杂胸腺嘧啶和它们的相应的二甲基衍生物以及鸟嘌呤、8-氮杂鸟嘌呤等十个化合物的吸收光谱、荧光光谱和磷光光谱。讨论了这类化合物的分子结构与光物理过程及激发态之间的关系。     

THE EFFECT OF AROMATIC AMINO ACIDS ON THE PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF A DISULFIDE: ENERGY TRANSFER AND REACTION WITH HYDRATED ELECTRONS

Abstract —The decomposition of dithioglycolic acid in oxygen-free solutions illuminated by low-intensity 254 nm light at pH 1.5-4.7 is enhanced by light absorbed in tyrosine. This occurs through an interaction with excited tyrosine, leading to the formation of excited dithioglycolic acid. At pH 6-1 an additional pathway appears, through the formation of a hydrated electron from excited tyrosine.
In the presence of tryptophan at pH 1 -2–6-1 the pathway involving sensitized formation of excited dithioglycolic acid is much less important, and that due to hydrated-electron (or H ) formation from excited tryptophan of greater importance.     

ANTHRALIN-DERIVED TRANSIENTS–I. THE TRIPLET STATE AND THE PRODUCTS OF ITS REACTION WITH OXYGEN IN BENZENE

Direct laser excitation in benzene of 1,8-dihydroxy-9-anthrone (anthralin) does not lead to transient species with lifetimes in the nanosecond time regime or longer. The triplet state has been produced in benzene by pulse radiolysis and characterised in terms of its absorption spectrum (lambda max 560 nm), natural lifetime (11 microseconds), self-quenching properties (kmicrosecond = 2.6 x 10(7) l mol-1 s-1) and triplet energy (234 kJ mol-1). There is no tendency in the non-polar medium for production of either the triplet or ground state in a tautomeric form. The observed triplet state reacts with oxygen with a typical rate constant, 2.2 x 10(9) l mol-1 s-1. The products of this reaction are singlet oxygen (approximately 64%) and the anthralin radical (approximately 14%).