Tryptophan Environment and Functional Characterization of a Kinetically Stable Serine Protease Containing a Polyproline II Fold

The single tryptophan residue from Nocardiopsis sp. serine protease (NprotI) was studied for its microenvironment using steady state and time-resolved fluorescence. The emission maximum was observed at 353 nm with excitation at 295 nm indicating tryptophan to be solvent exposed. Upon denaturation with 6 M guanidinum thiocyanate (GuSCN) the emission maxima was shifted to 360 nm. Solute quenching studies were performed with neutral (acrylamide) and ionic (I^- and Cs⁺) quenchers to probe the exposure and accessibility of tryptophan residue of the protein. Maximum quenching was observed with acrylamide. In the native state, quenching was not observed with Cs⁺ indicating presence of only positively charged environment surrounding tryptophan. However; in denatured protein, quenching was observed with Cs⁺, indicating charge reorientation after denaturation. No quenching was observed with Cs⁺ even at pH 1.0 or 10.0; while at acidic pH, a higher rate of quenching was observed with KI. This indicated presence of more positive charge surrounding tryptophan at acidic pH. In time resolved fluorescence measurements, the fluorescence decay curves could be best fitted to monoexponential pattern with lifetimes of 5.13 ns for NprotI indicating one conformer of the trp. Chemical modification studies with phenyl glyoxal suggested presence of Arg near the active site of the enzyme. No inhibition was seen with soyabean trypsin and limabean inhibitors, while, CanPI uncompetitively inhibited NprotI. Various salts from Hofmeister series were shown to decrease the activity and PPII content of NprotI.     

Bis-(2-Hydroxybenzylidene)-1H-Pyrazole 3,5-Dicarbohydrazide as a Novel Chemosensor for the Detection of Endogenous Zinc: A Fluorometric Study

The study reports synthesis and photophysical studies of a new zinc sensing pyrazole scaffold structurally characterized to be bis(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-1H-pyrazole-3,5-dicarbohydrazide (PHSA). Excitation of the probe at 330 nm results in an emission band at 417 nm which ratiometrically red shifts to 466 nm upon Zn²⁺ addition in an unprecedented way. The photo induced electron transfer (PET) coupled intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) working for a dual-channel fluorescence emission pathway is observed and studies were supported with density functional theory and NMR titration experiments. The probe exhibited dissociation constant of 1.2156 and detection limit as low as 992 nM. The cytotoxic effects of the probe on 60 tumour cell lines were tested. The intracellular zinc sensing with reversible binding potential is verified with fluorescence microscopy experiment.     

Laser-induced synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their conjugation with protein

Partially oxidized spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of different size are prepared by pulsed laser ablation in water and directly conjugated to protein S-ovalbumin for the first time and characterized by various optical techniques. UV–Visible spectrum of AgNPs showed localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak at 396 nm which red shift after protein addition. Further the increased concentration of AgNPs resulted a decrease in intensity and broadening of S-ovalbumin peak (278 nm), which can be related to the formation of protein NPs complex caused by the partial adsorption of S-ovalbumin on the surface of AgNPs. The red shift in LSPR peak of AgNPs after mixing with S-ovalbumin and decrease in protein-characteristic peak with increased silver loading confirmed the formation of protein–AgNPs bioconjugates. The effect of laser fluence on the size of AgNPs and nanoparticle–protein conjugation in the size range 5–38 nm is systematically studied. Raman spectra reveal broken disulphide bonds in the conjugated protein and formation of Ag–S bonds on the nanoparticle surface. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed quenching in fluorescence emission intensity of tryptophan residue of S-ovalbumin due to energy transfer from tryptophan moieties of albumin to AgNPs. Besides this, small blue shift in emission peak is also noticed in presence of AgNPs, which might be due to complex formation between protein and nanoparticles. The binding constant (K) and the number of binding sites (n) between AgNPs and S-ovalbumin have been found to be 0.006 M^?1 and 7.11, respectively.     

Interaction Between Isoquercitrin and Bovine Serum Albumin by a Multispectroscopic Method

ABSTRACT

The interaction of isoquercitrin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by means of fluorescence spectroscopy (FS), resonance light scattering spectroscopy (RLS), and ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV). The apparent binding constants (K _a) between isoquercitrin and BSA were 5.37 × 10⁵ L mol^?1 (293.15 K) and 2.34 × 10⁵ L mol^?1 (303.15 K), and the binding site values (n) were 1.18 ± 0.03. According to the Förster theory of non-radiation energy transfer, the binding distances (r) between isoquercitrin and BSA were 1.94 and 1.95 nm at 293.15 K and 303.15 K, respectively. The experimental results showed that the isoquercitrin could be inserted into the BSA, quenching the inner fluorescence by forming the isoquercitrin–BSA complex. The addition of increasing isoquercitrin to BSA solution leads to the gradual enhancement in RLS intensity, exhibiting the formation of the aggregate in solution. It was found that both static quenching and non-radiation energy transfer were the main reasons for the fluorescence quenching. The entropy change and enthalpy change were negative, which indicated that the interaction of isoquercitrin and BSA was driven mainly by van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds. The process of binding was a spontaneous process in which Gibbs free energy change was negative.     

The Paths of Excitation Energy Deactivation in LH1 Reduced Mutant and Wild-Type Strains of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The P3 mutant of Rhodobacter sphaeroides had an altered ratio of reaction center to core (LH1) and peripheral (LH2) antenna complexes compared to the wild-type strain. Intracytoplasmic membranes from these two strains were purified and then resuspended in buffer or immobilized in isotropic and stretched polymer film. The absorption, photoacoustic, and delayed luminescence spectra were measured. The ratios of infrared absorption and photoacoustic bands (located at about 880 nm for LH1 and at 850 and about 800 nm for LH2) as well as the half-width of these bands are different for the LH2 and LH1 mutants and wild-type strain. The whole yields of thermal deactivation of the two strains were comparable, but in the absorption region of LH2 it was slightly lower in the case of the mutant than for the wild-type strain. The delayed luminescence main maxima were observed at about 860 and 700 nm. The first one could be due to emission of bacteriochlorophyll a of LH2 complexes. The emission at about 700 nm is probably due to dihydromesochlorophyll, which is usually, to some extent, produced from bacteriochlorophyll a in bacterial complexes. The delayed luminescence emission is competing with excitation energy transfer to the reaction center. The intensity of the delayed luminescence of the mutant strain was higher than that of the wild-type strain when both samples were excited in a region of carotenoid absorption. The mutant contains less carotenoids than the wild-type strain. Carotenoids work as efficient antenna. When they at a lower concentration the excitation can be trapped more easily by some chlorophyll-like pigment isolated from the excitation energy chain. The dependences of delayed luminescence spectra on the light polarization and excitation wavelengths for the wild-type strain and for the mutant were different. The anisotropy of delayed luminescence showed that bacteriochlorophyll a molecules of different orientations were contributing to the mutant and the wild-type strain emission. All the results suggest that the excitation energy transfer from the antenna to the reaction center in the mutant and the wild-type strain is similar.     

Static and Dynamic Quenching of Tryptophan Fluorescence in Various Proteins by a Chromium (III) Complex

The interaction of a chromium (III) complex, (R,R)-N,N′-Bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexane-diaminochromium (III), with human serum albumin, bovine serum albumin, lysozyme, and free tryptophan was studied using steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. Dynamic and static quenching constants were calculated using Stern-Volmer kinetics. The complex bound more tightly to the serum albumins than to lysozyme or free tryptophan, but only one binding site was determined in all systems. The interaction was also determined to be thermodynamically favorable, and the binding constants were on the order of 10³–10⁶. The fluorescence quenching was static in nature with Forster distances in the 1.8–2.0 nm range.     

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.     

Studies on the Chemical Modification of Goat Liver Cystatin and the Effect on Its Anti-Papain Inhibitory Activity

Goat liver cystatin was subjected to various chemical modifications in order to ascertain the amino acid residues responsible for its structural and functional integrity. Modification of tryptophan by HNBB led to the complete inactivation of the protein. The inactivation was also accompanied by the complete loss of tryptophan fluorescence at 340 nm. The reaction of liver cystatin with HNBB yielded a characteristic decrease in absorbance at 280 nm. Acetylation of the amino groups of liver cystatin was carried out in the presence of acetic anhydride. The acetylated cystatin showed a decrease in fluorescence intensity at 335 nm which could be attributed to the modification of tyrosine residue due to side reaction.     

Interaction between isoamyl adenine and rice cytokinin oxidase

Cytokinin (CTK) dehydrogenase is responsible for regulating the endogenous CTK content by oxidative removal of the side chain. Herein, we have applied fluorescence method to study the interaction between CTK dehydrogenase and CTK in vitro and obtain some parameters of their interaction. We found that addition of isopentenyl adenine can quench the fluorescence of CTK dehydrogenase, and the quenching mechanism was to be a static quenching procedure. We have measured the number of binding sites n and the apparent binding constant K and have calculated the thermodynamics parameter ΔH, ΔG, and ΔS by fluorescence quenching method. Based on thermodynamics parameter’s results, we concluded that their binding reaction was both entropy driven and the enthalpy driven, and the Van der Waals force and hydrogen bond force played a major role in the interaction. Based on the synchronous fluorescence spectrometry results, we demonstrated that the binding site between isopentenyl adenine and CTK dehydrogenase is in the microenvironment of both tryptophan and tyrosine. The fluorescence signal of coenzyme, flavin adenine dinucleotide, decreases gradually with the addition of isopentenyl adenine. And this method can be used for isopentenyl adenine routine assay. Under optimized experimental parameters, the linear segment increases from 0.6 µM to 100 µM with a regression equation of ΔF = 0.04 + 0.15c_ip (r = 0.999, c_ip in µM) with the detection limit of 0.15 µM iP.     

Photochemical Properties of a Novel Cyanobacteriochrome from Anabaena sp. PCC7120

Cyanobacteriochromes are phytochrome homologues in cyanobacteria that act as photoreceptor sensors. We report the photochemistry of All4261 GAF2, a novel cyanobacteriochrome from the heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. All4261 contains four tandemly arranged GAF domains. The respective chromophore domains were co-expressed in Escherichia coli with the genes for phycocyanobilin biosynthesis enzymes, HO1, and PcyA. The resulting proteins were analyzed by zinc-induced fluorescence, UV-Vis absorption and emission fluorescence spectra. Only All4261 GAF2 binded chromophore covalently, having zinc-induced fluorescence band in SDS-PAGE gel with the zinc acetate solution existed. Absorption spectra analysis showed that All4261 GAF2 had absorption peaks at 340 nm and 590 nm, failing to show photoreversibility. Fluorescence spectra revealed that All4261 GAF2 had a fluorescence emission peak at 645 nm, with high fluorescence quantum yield and molar extinction coefficient.     

3-羟基-6-[(4-羧基苯基)偶氮]-苯甲酸与牛血清蛋白结合反应的荧光光谱

采用荧光光谱研究3-羟基-6-[(4-羧基苯基)偶氮]-苯甲酸(HCPAB)与牛血清蛋白(BSA)的相互作用.通过测定298K和310K下HCPAB与BSA的荧光猝灭光谱,计算得到荧光猝灭常数、反应的结合常数、结合位点数及热力学参数,得出这种荧光猝灭机理符合静态猝灭;由Foerster能量转移机理,计算了当BSA与HCPAB比例为1∶1时分子间距离r=3.18nm和能量转移效率E=0.23,并由同步荧光光谱显示HCPAB与BSA的结合位点更接近于色氨酸.     

Photophysics, Photochemistry and Energetics of UV Light Induced Disulphide Bridge Disruption in apo-α-Lactalbumin

Continuous 295 nm excitation of whey protein bovine apo-α-lactalbumin (apo-bLA) results in an increase of tryptophan fluorescence emission intensity, in a progressive red-shift of tryptophan fluorescence emission, and breakage of disulphide bridges (SS), yielding free thiol groups. The increase in fluorescence emission intensity upon continuous UV-excitation is correlated with the increase in concentration of free thiol groups in apo-bLA. UV-excitation and consequent SS breakage induce conformational changes on apo-bLA molecules, which after prolonged illumination display molten globule spectral features. The rate of tryptophan fluorescence emission intensity increase at 340 nm with excitation time increases with temperature in the interval 9.3–29.9°C. The temperature-dependent 340 nm emission kinetic traces were fitted by a 1st order reaction model. Native apo-bLA molecules with intact SS bonds and low tryptophan emission intensity are gradually converted upon excitation into apo-bLA molecules with disrupted SS, molten-globule-like conformation, high tryptophan emission intensity and red-shifted tryptophan emission. Experimental Ahrrenius activation energy was 21.8 ± 2.3 kJ.mol⁻¹. Data suggests that tryptophan photoionization from the S₁ state is the likely pathway leading to photolysis of SS in apo-bLA. Photoionization mechanism(s) of tryptophan in proteins and in solution and the activation energy of tryptophan photoionization from S₁ leading to SS disruption in proteins are discussed. The observations present in this paper raise concern regarding UV-light pasteurization of milk products. Though UV-light pasteurization is a faster and cheaper method than traditional thermal denaturation, it may also lead to loss of structure and functionality of milk proteins.     

Interactions of serum albumins with antitumor agent benzo [a] phenazine—a spectroscopic study

We present an investigation on the site specific interaction of antitumor agent benzo [a] phenazine (BAP) with serum albumins (HSA and BSA) and related photo-physical properties using absorption, emission and lifetime measurements. The absorption and emission measurements reveal that the binding of biomolecule benzo [a] phenazine took place near tryptophan moiety present in sub-domain IIA in serum albumins (HSA and BSA). In the selective excitation of benzo [a] phenazine at 365 nm, it was observed that the ground state of serum albumin quenches the excited benzo [a] phenazine through charge transfer exciplexation. The fluorescence decay analysis of serum albumins in the presence of benzo [a] phenazine shows decrease in lifetime, which confirms that photo-induced electron transfer takes place from serum albumins (HSA and BSA) to BAP. Also a suitable mechanism was proposed for the observed photo-induced electron transfer processes. Binding average distance (r) between the donor (serum albumins) and acceptor (benzo [a] phenazine) calculated using FRET theory confirmed their high probability of binding interaction.     

Detection of Free Thiols and Fluorescence Response of Phycoerythrin Chromophore after Ultraviolet-B Radiation Stress

The chemistry of thiol-chromophore linkage plays a central role in the nature of fluorescence of phycoerythrin (PE). Interaction of thiol and chromophore is crucial for the energy transfer, redox signal and inhibition of oxidative damage. In the present investigation the effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on an emission fluorescence intensity and wavelength shift in PE due to interaction between thiol and chromophore by remarkable strategy of detection technique was studied. Purification of PE was done by using a gel permeation and ion exchange chromatography that yielded a quite high purity index (6.40) in a monomeric (αβ) form. UV-B radiation accelerated the quenching efficiency (24.9 ± 1.52%) by reducing fluorescence emission intensity of thiol linked chromophore after 240 min of UV-B exposure. However, after blocking of transiently released free thiol by N-ethylmaleimide, quenching efficiency was increased (36.8 ± 2.80%) with marked emission wavelength shift towards shorter wavelengths up to 562 nm as compared to 575 nm in control. Emission fluorescence of free thiol was at maximum after 240 min that was detected specifically by monobromobimane (mBrB) molecular probe. The association/dissociation of bilin chromophore was analyzed by SDS- and Native-PAGE that also indicated a complete reduction in emission fluorescence. Our work clearly shows an early detection of free thiols and relative interaction with chromophore after UV-B radiation which might play a significant role in structural and functional integrity of terminal PE.     

Origin of Tryptophan Fluorescence Lifetimes Part 1. Fluorescence Lifetimes Origin of Tryptophan Free in Solution

Fluorescence intensity decays of L-tryptophan free in polar, hydrophobic and mixture of polar-hydrophobic solvents were recorded along the emission spectrum (310–410 nm). Analysis of the data show that emission of tryptophan occurs with two lifetimes in 100 % polar and hydrophobic environments. The values of the two lifetimes are not the same in both environments while their populations (pre-exponentials values) are identical. Fluorescence lifetimes and pre-exponentials values do not change with the excitation wavelength and thus are independent of excitation energy. Our results indicate that tryptophan emission occurs from two specific sub-structures existing in the excited state. These sub-structures differ from those present in the ground states and characterize an internal property and/or organization of the tryptophan structure in the excited state. By sub-substructure, we mean here tryptophan backbone and its electronic cloud. In ethanol, three fluorescence lifetimes were measured; two lifetimes are very close to those observed in water (0.4–0.5 ns and 2–4 ns). Presence of a third lifetime for tryptophan in ethanol results from the interaction of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic dipoles or chemical functions of ethanol with the fluorophore.     

光谱法表征蛋白酶K的热变性过程

用不同温度处理蛋白酶K,以变性酪蛋白底物法测定酶活力,稳态/瞬态荧光光谱法和圆二色谱法测定空间构象和二级结构,研究温度对蛋白酶K酶活力和构象的影响。温度由25 ℃升高至65 ℃过程中,蛋白酶K的酶活力逐渐降低,半衰期缩短;发射光谱荧光强度降低,峰位由335 nm红移至354 nm;色氨酸残基同步荧光强度降低,酪氨酸残基同步荧光强度增大;色氨酸残基荧光寿命由4.427 1 ns降低至4.032 4 ns;α-螺旋百分含量降低。结果表明：采用稳态/瞬态荧光光谱法和圆二色谱法能较简便、准确的描述蛋白酶K的热稳定性变化;蛋白酶K的热变性过程符合三态模型,存在一个中间态;蛋白酶K分子内部存在酪氨酸残基对色氨酸残基的共振能量转移作用;α-螺旋是维系蛋白酶K活性中心构象稳定性的主要结构。     

小檗碱与人血清白蛋白的相互作用

利用紫外光谱和荧光光谱技术研究了中药有效成分小檗碱与人血清白蛋白(HSA)的相互作用机制。利用荧光猝灭反应测得它们之间结合常数K=1.168×105 L·mol-1,结合位点数n=5.26。依据Frster非辐射能量转移机制,测得供体-受体间结合距离R=3.44 nm和能量转移效率E=0.303。认为小檗碱在HSA的位置阻断了酪氨酸残基与色氨酸残基之间的能量转移,并使它们的荧光猝灭,并与色氨酸结合生成了较弱的荧光发光体。     

Steady State Fluorescence Studies of Wild Type Recombinant Cinnamoyl CoA Reductase (Ll-CCRH1) and its Active Site Mutants

Fluorescence quenching and time resolved fluorescence studies of wild type recombinant cinnamoyl CoA reductase (Ll-CCRH1), a multitryptophan protein from Leucaena leucocephala and 10 different active site mutants were carried out to investigate tryptophan environment. The enzyme showed highest affinity for feruloyl CoA (K _a ?=?3.72?×?10⁵ M^?1) over other CoA esters and cinnamaldehydes, as determined by fluorescence spectroscopy. Quenching of the fluorescence by acrylamide for wild type and active site mutants was collisional with almost 100 % of the tryptophan fluorescence accessible under native condition and remained same after denaturation of protein with 6 M GdnHCl. In wild type Ll-CCRH1, the extent of quenching achieved with iodide (f _a?=?1.0) was significantly higher than cesium ions (f _a?=?0.33) suggesting more density of positive charge around surface of trp conformers under native conditions. Denaturation of wild type protein with 6 M GdnHCl led to significant increase in the quenching with cesium (f _a?=?0.54), whereas quenching with iodide ion was decreased (f _a?=?0.78), indicating reorientation of charge density around trp from positive to negative and heterogeneity in trp environment. The Stern-Volmer plots for wild type and mutants Ll-CCRH1 under native and denatured conditions, with cesium ion yielded biphasic quenching profiles. The extent of quenching for cesium and iodide ions under native and denatured conditions observed in active site mutants was significantly different from wild type Ll-CCRH1 under the same conditions. Thus, single substitution type mutations of active site residues showed heterogeneity in tryptophan microenvironment and differential degree of conformation of protein under native or denatured conditions.     

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser in the long-wavelength (700 nm) region in the visible by energy transfer between organic dyes

In this work, organic vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with single-mode laser output in the long-wavelength region (~700 nm) of the visible were reported based on the energy transfer between dye pairs consisting of pyrromethene 597 (PM597) and rhodamine 700 (LD700). By co-doping PM597 into the polymeric hosts, the fluorescence intensity of LD700 was enhanced by 30-fold and the photophysical parameters of the donor–acceptor pairs were investigated, indicating the involvement of non-radiative resonance energy transfer processes between PM597 and LD700. Active distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR) were made by alternately spin-coating dye-doped polyvinylcarbazole and cellulose acetate thin films as the high and low refractive index layers, respectively. By sandwiching the active layer with 2 DBR mirrors, VCSEL emission at 698.9 nm in the biological first window (650–950 nm) was observed under the 532-nm laser pulses. The laser slope efficiency and threshold were also measured.     

Synthesis of Amide Compounds of Ferulic Acid and Their Association with Bovine Serum Albumin

ABSTRACT

In this work, three new amide compounds of ferulic acid (FA) were synthesized. The fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopy were explored to study the interactions between three amide compounds of FA and bovine serum albumin (BSA) under imitated physiological conditions. The experimental results showed that the fluorescence quenching mechanism between BSA and three amide compounds of FA were mainly static quenching and nonradiation energy transfer at 25°C, 30°C, and 37°C. The Stern–Volmer quenching constants, the binding constants, and the number of binding sites and corresponding thermodynamic parameters ΔH, ΔG, and ΔS were calculated at different temperatures. From the thermodynamic parameters, we concluded that the action force was mainly a hydrophobic interaction. According to the F?rster theory of nonradiation energy transfer, the binding distances (r) between BSA and amide compounds are less than 7 nm. Furthermore, the effects of amide compounds on the conformation of BSA were analyzed using synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy.