Changes in the structure of chlorophyll-protein complexes and excitation energy transfer during photoinhibitory treatment of isolated photosystem I submembrane particles

The activity of light-induced oxygen consumption, absorption spectra, low temperature (77 K) chlorophyll fluorescence emission and excitation spectra were studied in suspensions of photosystem (PS) I submembrane particles illuminated by 2000 microE m(-2) s(-1) strong white light (WL) at 4 degrees C. A significant stimulation of oxygen uptake was observed during the first 1-4 h of photoinhibitory treatment, which rapidly decreased during further light exposure. Chlorophyll (Chl) content gradually declined during the exposure of isolated PSI particles to strong light. In addition to the Chl photobleaching, pronounced changes were found in Chl absorption and fluorescence spectra. The position of the major peak in the red part of the absorption spectrum shifted from 680 nm towards shorter wavelengths in the course of strong light exposure. A 6-nm blue shift of that peak was observed after 5-h illumination. Even more pronounced changes were found in the characteristics of Chl fluorescence. The magnitude of the dominating long-wavelength emission band at 736 nm located in untreated particles was five times reduced after 2-h exposure, whereas the loss in absolute Chl contents did not exceed 10% of its initial value. The major peak in low-temperature Chl fluorescence emission spectra shifted from 736 to 721 nm after 6-h WL treatment. Individual Chl-protein complexes differed in the response of their absorption spectra to strong WL. Unlike light-harvesting complexes (LHC), LHCI-680 and LHC-730, which did not exhibit changes in the major peak position, its maximum was shifted from 678 to 671 nm in CPIa complex after PSI submembrane particles were irradiated with strong light for 6 h. The results demonstrated that excitation energy transfer represents the stage of photosynthetic utilization of absorbed quanta which is most sensitive to strong light in isolated PSI particles.     

Origin of chlorophyll fluorescence in plants at 55-75 degrees C

The origin of heat-induced chlorophyll fluorescence rise that appears at about 55-60 degrees C during linear heating of leaves, chloroplasts or thylakoids (especially with a reduced content of grana thylakoids) was studied. This fluorescence rise was earlier attributed to photosystem I (PSI) emission. Our data show that the fluorescence rise originates from chlorophyll a (Chl a) molecules released from chlorophyll-containing protein complexes denaturing at 55-60 degrees C. This conclusion results mainly from Chl a fluorescence lifetime measurements with barley leaves of different Chl a content and absorption and emission spectra measurements with barley leaves preheated to selected temperatures. These data, supported by measurements of liposomes with different Chl a/lipid ratios, suggest that the released Chl a is dissolved in lipids of thylakoid membranes and that with increasing Chl a content in the lipid phase, the released Chl a tends to form low-fluorescing aggregates. This is probably the reason for the suppressed fluorescence rise at 55-60 degrees C and the decreasing fluorescence course at 60-75 degrees C, which are observable during linear heating of plant material with a high Chl a/lipid ratio (e.g. green leaves, grana thylakoids, isolated PSII particles).     

Absorption and fluorescence characteristics of photo-activated adenylate cyclase nano-clusters from the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi NEG-M strain

The spectroscopic characteristics of BLUF (BLUF = sensor of blue light using flavin) domain containing soluble adenylate cyclase (nPAC = Naegleria photo-activated cyclase) samples from the amoeboflagellate Naegleria gruberi NEG-M strain is studied at room temperature. The absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic development in the dark was investigated over two weeks. Attenuation coefficient spectra, fluorescence quantum distributions, fluorescence quantum yields, and fluorescence excitation distributions were measured. Thawing of frozen nPAC samples gave solutions with varying protein nano-cluster size and varying flavin, tyrosine, tryptophan, and protein color-center emission. Protein color-center emission was observed in the wavelength range of 360-900 nm with narrow emission bands of small Stokes shift and broad emission bands of large Stokes shift. The emission spectra evolved in time with protein nano-cluster aging.     

The action of oxygen on chlorophyll fluorescence quenching and absorption spectra in pea thylakoid membranes under the steady-state conditions

The effect of oxygen concentration on both absorption and chlorophyll fluorescence spectra was investigated in isolated pea thylakoids at weak actinic light under the steady-state conditions. Upon the rise of oxygen concentration from anaerobiosis up to 412 microM a gradual absorbance increase around both 437 and 670 nm was observed, suggesting the disaggregation of LHCII and destacking of thylakoids. Simultaneously, an increase in oxygen concentration resulted in a decline in the Chl fluorescence at 680 nm to about 60% of the initial value. The plot of normalized Chl fluorescence quenching, F(-O(2))/F(+O(2)), showed discontinuity above 275 microM O(2), revealing two phases of quenching, at both lower and higher oxygen concentrations. The inhibition of photosystem II by DCMU or atrazine as well as that of cyt b(6)f by myxothiazol attenuated the oxygen-induced quenching events observed above 275 microM O(2), but did not modify the first phase of oxygen action. These data imply that the oxygen mediated Chl fluorescence quenching is partially independent on non-cyclic electron flow. The second phase of oxygen-induced decline in Chl fluorescence is diminished in thylakoids with poisoned PSII and cyt b(6)f activities and treated with rotenone or N-ethylmaleimide to inhibit NAD(P)H-plastoquinone dehydrogenase. The data suggest that under weak light and high oxygen concentration the Chl fluorescence quenching results from interactions between oxygen and PSI, cyt b(6)f and Ndh. On the contrary, inhibition of non-cyclic electron flow by antimycin A or uncoupling of thylakoids by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone did not modify the steady-state oxygen effect on Chl fluorescence quenching. The addition of NADH protected thylakoids against oxygen-induced Chl fluorescence quenching, whereas in the presence of exogenic duroquinone the decrease in Chl fluorescence to one half of the initial level did not result from the oxygen effect, probably due to oxygen action as a weak electron acceptor from PQ pool and an insufficient non-photochemical quencher. The data indicate that mechanism of oxygen-induced Chl fluorescence quenching depends significantly on oxygen concentration and is related to both structural rearrangement of thylakoids and the direct oxygen reduction by photosynthetic complexes.     

Examination of the photophysical processes of chlorophyll d leading to a clarification of proposed uphill energy transfer processes in cells of Acaryochloris marinas

A comprehensive study of the photophysical properties of chlorophyll (Chl) d in 1:40 acetonitrile-methanol solution is performed over the temperature range 170-295 K. From comparison of absorption and emission spectra, time-dependent density-functional calculations and homologies with those of Chl a, we assign the key features of the absorption and fluorescence spectra. Possible photophysical energy relaxation mechanisms are summarized, and thermal equilibration processes are studied in detail by monitoring the observed emission profiles and quantum yields as a function of excitation energy. In particular, we concentrate on emission subsequent to excitation in the extreme far-red tail of the Qy absorption spectrum, with this emission partitioned into contributions from hot-band absorptions as well as uphill energy transfer processes that occur subsequent to absorption. No unusual photophysical processes are detected for Chl d; it appears that all intramolecular relaxation processes reach thermal equilibration on shorter timescales than the fluorescence lifetime even at 170 K. The results from these studies are used to reinterpret a previous study of photochemical processes observed in intact cells and their acetone extracts of the photosynthetic system of Acaryochloris marina. In the study of Mimuro et al., light absorbed by Chl d at 736 nm is found to give rise to emission by another species, believed to also be Chl d, at 703 nm; this uphill energy transfer process is easily rationalized in terms of the thermal equilibration processes that we deduced for Chl d. However, no evidence is found in the experimental results of Mimuro et al. to support claims that (nonequilibrium) uphill energy transfer is additionally observed to Chl a species that emit at 670-680 nm. This finding is relevant to broader issues concerning the nature of the special pair in photosystem II of A. marina because suggestions that it is comprised of Chl a can only be correct if nonthermal uphill energy transfer processes from Chl d are operative.     

Changes in the room-temperature emission spectrum of chlorophyll during fast and slow phases of the Kautsky effect in intact leaves

Changes in the room-temperature emission spectrum of chlorophyll (Chl) were analyzed using fast diode-array recordings during the Kautsky effect in mature and in greening barley leaves. In mature leaves, the comparison of F(O) (basal level of fluorescence yield at transient O) and F(M) (maximum level of fluorescence yield at transient M) spectra showed that the relative amplitude of total variable fluorescence was maximal for the 684 nm Photosystem II (PSII) band and minimal for the 725 nm Photosystem I band. During the increase from F(O) to F(M), a progressive redshift of the spectrum of variable fluorescence occurred. This shift reflected the different fluorescence rise kinetics of different layers of chloroplasts inside the leaf. This was verified by simulating the effect of screening on the emission spectrum of isolated chloroplasts and by experiments on greening leaves with low Chl content. In addition, experiments performed at different greening stages showed that the presence of uncoupled Chl at early-greening stages and light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) at later stages have detectable but minor effects on the shape of room-temperature emission spectra. When strong actinic light was applied to mature green leaves, the slow fluorescence yield, which declined from F(M) to F(T) (steady-state level of fluorescence yield at transient T), was accompanied by a slight redshift of the 684 nm PSII band because of nonphotochemical quenching of short-wavelength-emitting Chl ascribed to LHCII.     

Changes of Chlorophyll(ide) Fluorescence Yield Induced by a Short Light Pulse as a Probe to Monitor the Early Steps of Etioplast Phototransformation in Dark-Grown Leaves

The fluorescence yield of chlorophyll(ide) (Chl[ide]) excited by weak modulated light was recorded at room temperature during a 2 h period after a short actinic light pulse that transformed all photoactive protochlorophyllide in dark-grown barley leaves. A typical pattern of fluorescence yield variations was found whatever the age of the leaf but with age-dependent changes in rates. Its successive phases were related to the Chl(ide) spectral shifts observed in low-temperature emission spectra. The fluorescence yield started at a high level and strongly declined during the formation of Chlide₆₉₅ from Chlide₆₆₈ within a few seconds. It increased to a transient maximum during the Shibata shift (15–25 min) that resulted in Chl(ide)₆₈₂. A final, slow decrease to a steady state occurred during the final red shift to Chl₆₈₅. Pretreatments with δ-aminolevulinic acid, chloramphenicol or 1, 10-phenanthroline resulted in correlated modifications of Chl(ide) fluorescence yield transients and shifts of the low-temperature Chl(ide) emission band. The complex response of the final decrease phase of the fluorescence yield to these compounds suggests that it results both from the assembly of photosynthetic Chl proteins and from the reorganization of the etioplast membrane system. From these results it is concluded that continuous recordings of Chl(ide) fluorescence yield after a short light pulse represent a useful tool to monitor the kinetics of pigment–protein organization and primary thylakoid assembly triggered by Pchlide photoreduction.     

Excited state dynamics in recombinant water-soluble chlorophyll proteins (WSCP) from cauliflower investigated by transient fluorescence spectroscopy

The present study describes the fluorescence emission properties of recombinant water-soluble chlorophyll (Chl) protein (WSCP) complexes reconstituted with either Chl a or Chl b alone (Chl a only or Chl b only WSCP, respectively) or mixtures of both pigments at different stoichiometrical ratios. Detailed investigations were performed with time and space correlated ps fluorescence spectroscopy within the temperature range from 10 to 295 K. The following points were found: (a) The emission spectra at room temperature (295 K) are well characterized by bands with a dominating Lorentzian profile broadened due to phonon scattering and peak positions located at 677, 684 and 693 nm in the case of Chl a only WSCP and at 665, 675 and 689 nm for Chl b only WSCP. In addition, all spectra contain minor bands in the longer wavelength region. (b) The emission spectra at 10 K of samples suspended in buffer containing 50% glycerol are dominated by bands peaking at 668 nm for Chl b only WSCP and at 685 nm for Chl a only WSCP and samples reconstituted with mixtures of Chl a and Chl b. (c) At 10 K and in buffer with 50% glycerol the decay kinetics of WSCP samples with Chl a only are dominated by a component with a time constant of 6.2 (+/-0.2) ns at 685 nm while those of WSCP containing mixtures of Chl a and Chl b are characterized by a slightly shorter value of 6.0 (+/-0.2) ns. WSCP containing Chl b only exhibits a distinctly longer value of 7.0 (+/-0.3) ns at an emission wavelength of 668 nm. (d) The decay associated emission spectra at 10 K of all samples exhibit at least 3 decay components with time constants of 80-120 ps, 2-4 ns and 6-7 ns in 50% glycerol. These results are consistently described within the framework of our previously presented model (J. Phys. Chem. B 2007, 111, No. 46, 13325; J. Phys. Chem. B 2007, 111, No. 35, 10487) , for the structural motifs of chlorophyll binding to the tetrameric protein matrix of WSCP. It is shown that formation of strongly coupled open sandwich dimers does not lead to quenching of 1Chl a* or 1Chl b*.     

Dual fluorescence of graphene oxide: a time-resolved study

The fluorescence properties of graphene oxide (GO) was studied by recording the fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence emission, and excitation spectra, as well as UV-visible and near-IR absorption spectra. For the first time, we showed that a blue band (ca. 440 nm) and a long wavelength (LW) band (ca. 700 nm) are coexistent, which can be recorded simultaneously by controlling concentration, excitation wavelength, and pH values. Two bands are closely related by the protonation or deprotonation of GO. The blue band is favored by low GO concentration, short excitation wavelength, and high pH value, while the LW band is favored by low pH and long excitation wavelength. To reveal the nature of the dual emission of GO, the fluorescence lifetimes under various conditions were also measured. The blue band contains three emitting components; one of them has a lifetime as long as 10 ns, and its emitting intensity is fairly sensitive to pH, showing the potential for applications in sensing H(+) and fluorescence lifetime imaging. Combining the results under various conditions, we conclude that the electronic transition for this component is very likely due to n-π* transition. The LW band contains two main emitting components (0.2 and 2.1 ns) that also appear in the blue band as minor contributors; the related emission is assigned to π-π* transition. In summary, GO emission is of broadband (300-1250 nm), long-lived, pH sensitive, and excitation wavelength dependent. This makes it easily tailored for versatile applications.     

The effect of decreasing temperature up to chilling values on the in vivo F685/F735 chlorophyll fluorescence ratio in Phaseolus vulgaris and Pisum sativum: the role of the photosystem I contribution to the 735 nm fluorescence band

The effect of leaf temperature (T), between 23 and 4 degrees C, on the chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence spectral shape was investigated under moderate (200 microE m-2 s-1) and low (30-35 microE m-2 s-1) light intensities in Phaseolus vulgaris and Pisum sativum. With decreasing temperature, an increase in the fluorescence yield at both 685 and 735 nm was observed. A marked change occurred at the longer emission band resulting in a decrease in the Chl fluorescence ratio, F685/F735, with reducing T. Our fluorescence analysis suggests that this effect is due to a temperature-induced state 1-state 2 transition that decreases and increases photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI) fluorescence, respectively. Time-resolved fluorescence life-time measurements support this interpretation. At a critical temperature (about 6 degrees C) and low light intensity a sudden decrease in fluorescence intensity was observed, with a larger effect at 685 than at 735 nm. This is probably linked to a modification of the thylakoid membranes, induced by chilling temperatures, which can alter the spill-over from PSII to PSI. The contribution of photosystem I to the long-wavelength Chl fluorescence band (735 nm) at room temperature was estimated by both time-resolved fluorescence lifetime and fluorescence yield measurements at 685 and 735 nm. We found that PSI contributes to the 735 nm fluorescence for about 40, 10 and 35% at the minimal (F0), maximal (Fm) and steady-state (Fs) levels, respectively. Therefore, PSI must be taken into account in the analysis of Chl fluorescence parameters that include the 735 nm band and to interpret the changes in the Chl fluorescence ratio that can be induced by different agents.     

Quantitative study of fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of bean leaves

A quantitative and comprehensive knowledge of leaf fluorescence is required for the interpretation of fluorescence signals at the canopy level and also for the modelling of leaf and canopy fluorescence. In this work we present full range fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of intact leaves, expressed in units of apparent spectral fluorescence yield, from both the adaxial and the abaxial sides of the leaves, and for both front-side and back-side geometries. Emission spectra were measured for incident radiations in the blue and the green spectral range. The red/far-red fluorescence ratio depended on the measurement geometry and on the excitation wavelength. Excitation spectra were measured for emissions at 687 and 760 nm. When the abaxial side was illuminated, the measured spectra always had a larger intensity compared to adaxial side that is explained by the higher scattering of the spongy tissues. At 760 nm, the spectra had the same shape for front-side and back-side geometry, indicating that scattering predominated. At 687 nm, the shape of the spectra was very different for front-side and back-side geometry due to re-absorption of red fluorescence within the leaf. The comparison of excitation spectra measured from the adaxial or the abaxial side revealed differences in carotenoid absorption.     

Photoluminescence spectral reliance on aggregation order of 1,1-Bis(2'-thienyl)-2,3,4,5-tetraphenylsilole

1,1-Bis(2'-thienyl)-2,3,4,5-tetraphenylsilole (1) was prepared and characterized crystallographically. Silole 1 exhibited aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behavior like other 2,3,4,5-tetraphenylsiloles. Unexpectedly, aggregates formed in water/acetone (6:4 by volume) mixture emitted a blue light that peaked at 474 nm, while aggregates formed in the mixtures with higher water fractions emitted green light that peaked at 500 nm. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the aggregates formed in the mixture with water fraction of 60% were single crystals, while aggregates that formed in the mixture with water fraction of 90% were irregular and poorly ordered particles. The unusual PL spectral reliance on aggregation order was further confirmed by PL emissions of macroscopic crystal powders and amorphous powders of the silole in the dry state. PL spectral blue shifting was observed upon aging of the poorly ordered aggregates formed in mixtures with water fractions of 70-90%, and they finally exhibited the same blue emission as the crystalline aggregates. The as-deposited thin solid film was amorphous and it could be transformed to a transparent crystalline film upon treatment in the vapor of an ethanol/water (1:1 by volume) mixture, along with PL spectral blue shifting due to changing of aggregation order. It was also found that the crystalline film showed a blue-shifted absorption spectrum relative to the amorphous film and the shift of the absorption edge of the spectra could match that of corresponding PL spectra. The FT-IR spectrum of crystal powders of 1 displayed more vibration modes compared with that of amorphous powders, suggesting the existence of different pi-overlaps or different molecular conformations. The crystals of 1-methyl-1,2,3,4,5-pentaphenylsilole and hexaphenylsilole also showed blue-shifted PL emissions of their amorphous solids, with a comparable PL spectral shift of 1. Developing of a silole solution on a TLC plate readily brought about an amorphous thin layer. Our results suggest that crystalline films of AIE-active siloles are potential emissive layers for efficient blue OLEDs with stable color and long lifetime.     

THE ''Q-BAND'' ABSORPTION spECTRA OF HEMATOPORPHYRIN MONOMER AND AGGREGATE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Abstract The resolution of the absorption spectra in the Q band (480 nm-620 nm) spectral region of monomeric and dimeric hematoporphyrin species present in aqueous solutions has been achieved using absorption, fluorescence and computer analysis methods. The absorption maxima of the dimer in this spectral region are red shifted about 12 nm with respect to those of the monomer. The significance of this finding in relationship to the well documented blue shift of hematoporphyrin aggregate observed in the Soret band region (λ_malx∼400 nm) of the absorption spectrum is discussed.     

Evidence from action and fluorescence spectra that UV-induced violet-blue-green fluorescence enhances leaf photosynthesis

We assessed the contribution of UV-induced violet-blue-green leaf fluorescence to photosynthesis in Poa annua, Sorghum halepense and Nerium oleander by measuring UV-induced fluorescence spectra (280-380 nm excitation, 400-550 nm emission) from leaf surfaces and determining the monochromatic UV action spectra for leaf photosynthetic O2-evolution. Peak fluorescence emission wavelengths from leaf surfaces ranged from violet (408 nm) to blue (448 nm), while excitation peaks for these maxima ranged from 333 to 344 nm. Action spectra were developed by supplementing monochromatic radiation from 280 to 440 nm, in 20 nm increments, to a visible nonsaturating background of 500 mumol m-2 s-1 photosynthetically active radiation and measuring photosynthetic O2-evolution rates. Photosynthetic rates tended to be higher with the 340 nm supplement than with higher or lower wavelength UV supplements. Comparing photosynthetic rates with the 340 nm supplement to those with the 400 nm supplement, the percentage enhancement in photosynthetic rates at 340 nm ranged from 7.8 to 9.8%. We suspect that 340 nm UV improves photosynthetic rates via fluorescence that provides violet-blue-green photons for photosynthetic energy conversion because (1) the peak excitation wavelength (340 nm) for violet-blue-green fluorescence from leaves was also the most effective UV wavelength at enhancing photosynthetic rates, and (2) the magnitude of photosynthetic enhancements attributable to supplemental 340 nm UV was well correlated (R2 = 0.90) with the apparent intensity of 340 nm UV-induced violet-blue-green fluorescence emission from leaves.     

一种新型快速检测半胱氨酸的荧光探针EI北大核心CSCD

基于三苯胺母体的强供电子能力,设计合成了一种共轭性良好的新型半胱氨酸(Cys)荧光探针。采用荧光光谱法和紫外-可见光谱法研究了目标探针T-Probe对半胱氨酸(Cys)的光谱响应。结果表明:目标探针分子与Cys作用后,荧光发射波长有约20 nm红移,荧光强度发生明显的增强,在365 nm紫外灯下,溶液由青色变为蓝色;探针分子选择性识别Cys的检测限为98.4 nmol/L,且灵敏度较高。     

The excited-state chemistry of protochlorophyllide a: a time-resolved fluorescence study.

The excited-state processes of protochlorophyllide a, the precursor of chlorophyll a in chlorophyll biosynthesis, are studied using picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Following excitation into the Soret band, two distinct fluorescence components, with emission maxima at 640 and 647 nm, are observed. The 640 nm emitting component appears within the time resolution of the experiment and then decays with a time constant of 27 ps. In contrast, the 647 nm emitting component is built up with a 3.5 ps rise time and undergoes a subsequent decay with a time constant of 3.5 ns. The 3.5 ps rise kinetics are attributed to relaxations in the electronically excited state preceding the nanosecond fluorescence, which is ascribed to emission out of the thermally equilibrated S(1) state. The 27 ps fluorescence, which appears within the experimental response of the streak camera, is suggested to originate from a second minimum on the excited-state potential-energy surface. The population of the secondary excited state is suggested to reflect a very fast motion out of the Franck-Condon region along a reaction coordinate different from the one connecting the Franck-Condon region with the S(1) potential-energy minimum. The 27 ps-component is an emissive intermediate on the reactive excited-state pathway, as its decay yields the intermediate photoproduct, which has been identified previously (J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 4399-4406). No emission of the photoproduct is observed. The results of the time-resolved fluorescence study allow a detailed spectral characterization of the emission of the excited states in protochlorophyllide a, and the refinement of the kinetic model deduced from ultrafast absorption measurements.     

Laser-induced fluorescence studies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) vapors at high temperatures.

In this work, we present the fluorescence spectra of anthracene and pyrene vapors at different elevated temperatures (from 150 to 650 degrees C) excited with the 337 nm line of a nitrogen laser. We describe the high temperature effects on the resulting spectral properties including spectral intensity, spectral bandwidth and spectral shift. We found that the PAH fluorescence spectral bandwidths become very broad as the temperature increases. The broadening is mainly due to thermal vibrational sequence congestion. We also have found that the fluorescence intensity of pyrene vapor increases with increasing temperature, which results from the increase of the pyrene vapor absorption cross section at 337 nm.     

Dimers of polyene antibiotic amphotericin B detected by means of fluorescence spectroscopy: molecular organization in solution and in lipid membranes

Fluorescence emission from amphotericin B dissolved in 2-propanol-water was recorded in the spectral region 500-650 nm. The fluorescence excitation spectrum corresponds to the absorption spectrum of the monomeric drug. The large energy shift between the excitation and emission bands indicates that emission takes place from an energy level different than that responsible for absorption. These levels were attributed to the 2(1)A(g) and 1(1)B(u) states, respectively. Excitation of the same sample with short wavelength radiation (below 350 nm) yields light emission between 400 and 550 nm. The fluorescence excitation spectrum corresponding to this emission band displays distinct maxima at 350, 334 and 318 nm. This band was analyzed in terms of the exciton splitting theory and assigned to amphotericin B in a dimeric form, in which chromophores are spaced by 4.9 A. The binding energy of the dimers, determined to be 4.9 kJ/mol, indicates that the structures are stabilized by van der Waals interactions. The same type of molecular structures was also detected in the lipid membranes formed with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. Linear dichroism of amphotericin B embedded in lipid multibilayers indicates that molecules are distributed between two fractions: parallel (38%) and perpendicular (62%) with respect to the membrane. The biological importance of such membrane organization is discussed.     

Synthesis and photophysical processes of 9-bromo-10-naphthalen-2-yl-anthracene

A novel luminescent compound, 9-bromo-10-naphthalen-2-yl-anthracene (BNA) is synthesized by Suzuki Cross-coupling reaction of 9-bromo-anthracene and naphthalene-2-boronic acid. The structure is characterized by (1)H NMR, IR and UV-vis spectroscopy. The photophysical processes of 9-bromo-10-naphthalen-2-yl-anthracene have been carefully investigated by UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra. The results show that the compound emits blue and blue-violet light. The emission spectra exhibit obvious solvent effect. With the difference in polarity of solvents, The emission spectra is not only slightly blue shift with the increase of the solvent polarity but also change on the intensity of fluorescence at room temperature .The light emitting can be quenched by electron donor, N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA). On adding gradually DMA into the solution of BNA, the emission intensities of fluorescence are gradually decreased. The quenching effect follows the Stern-Volmer equation.     

POLARIZED SITE-SELECTION SPECTROSCOPY OF CHLOROPHYLL a IN DETERGENT

Monomeric chlorophyll a (Chl a ) was obtained from the isolated core antenna complex CP47 of photo-system II after incubation with the detergent triton X-100 and was studied by low-temperature polarized light spectroscopy with the aim to obtain model spectra for Chi a in intact photosynthetic complexes. Evidence is presented by circular dichroism and anisotropy measurements that the isolated chlorophyll is monomeric. The absorption bandwidths are relatively large compared to those found in photosynthetic complexes due to inhomogeneous broadening introduced by the detergent. By selective laser excitation at low temperature, considerable narrowing can be achieved. A number of vibrational bands are resolved in the site-selected, polarized absorption and fluorescence emission spectra. The emission spectrum of Chi a in detergent-damaged CP47 is compared with that of Chi a in the intact light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHC-II) from green plants. The spectra are remarkably similar indicating that the low-temperature thermal emitter in LHC-II has spectral properties that are very similar to those of monomeric Chl a .