Short range photoinduced electron transfer in proteins: QM-MM simulations of tryptophan and flavin fluorescence quenching in proteins

Hybrid quantum mechanical-molecular mechanics (dynamics) were performed on flavin reductase (Fre) and flavodoxin reductase (Fdr), both from Escherichia coli. Each was complexed with riboflavin (Rbf) or flavin mononucleotide (FMN). During 50 ps trajectories, the relative energies of the fluorescing state (S₁) of the isoalloxazine ring and the lowest charge transfer state (CT) were assessed to aid prediction of fluorescence lifetimes that are shortened due to quenching by electron transfer from tyrosine. The simulations for the four cases display a wide range in CT–S₁ energy gap caused by the presence of phosphate, other charged and polar residues, water, and by intermolecular separation between donor and acceptor. This suggests that the Gibbs energy change (ΔG₀) and reorganization energy (λ) for the electron transfer may differ in different flavoproteins.     

Oxidation of sulfides with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by synthetic flavin adducts with dendritic bis(acylamino)pyridines

The catalytic activities of the cationic synthetic flavin adduct 1 with various dendritic and non-dendritic 2,6-bis(acylamino)pyridines 2 were examined for the oxidation of organic sulfides with H₂O₂. The adduct of 5-ethyllumiflavinium perchlorate 1a with 2b–d bearing poly(benzyl ether) dendron units acts as an efficient organocatalyst for the oxidative transformation of sulfides to the corresponding sulfoxides under mild conditions.     

A low perfusion rate microreactor for continuous monitoring of enzyme characteristics: application to glucose oxidase

This report describes a versatile and robust microreactor for bioactive proteins physically immobilized on a polyether sulfone filter. The potential of the reactor is illustrated with glucose oxidase immobilized on a filter with a cut-off value of 30 kDa. A flow-injection system was used to deliver the reactants and the device was linked on-line to an electrochemical detector. The microreactor was used for on-line preparation of apoglucose oxidase in strong acid and its subsequent reactivation with flavin adenine dinucleotide. In addition we describe a miniaturized version of the microreactor used to assess several characteristics of femtomole to attomole amounts of glucose oxidase. A low negative potential over the electrodes was used when ferrocene was the mediator in combination with horseradish peroxidase, ensuring the absence of oxidation of electro-active compounds in biological fluids. A low backpressure at very low flow rates is an advantage, which increases the sensitivity. A variety of further applications of the microreactor are suggested. Figure Preparation of apoGOx and restoration of enzyme activity using a soluton of FAD     

On-line wall-free cell for laser-induced fluorescence detection in capillary electrophoresis

A wall-free detection method based on liquid junction in a capillary gap was proposed for laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of capillary electrophoresis (CE). The capillary gap of the wall-free cell was fabricated by etching a 10-mm × 50-μm I.D. fused-silica capillary to obtain a polyimide coating sleeve, decoating about 6 mm at one end of both 50 μm I.D. separation and liquid junction capillary, inserting the treated capillary ends into the coating sleeve oppositely, fixing the capillaries with a gap distance of 140 μm by epoxy glue and removing the coating sleeve by burning. The theoretical model, experimental results and wall-free cell images indicated that the gap distance and applied voltage were main influence factors on the wall-free detection. Since the wall-free cell increased the absorption light path and avoided the stray light from the capillary wall, it improved the ratio of signal to noise and limit of detection (LOD) of CE-LIF. Three flavin compounds of riboflavin (RF), flavin mononucleotide sodium (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide disodium (FAD) were used to evaluate the wall-free detection method. Compared with on-column cell, the LODs of the wall-free cell were improved 15-, 6- and 9-fold for RF, FMN and FAD, respectively. The linear calibration concentrations of the flavins ranged from 0.005 to 5.0 μmol/L. The column efficiency was in the range from 1.0 × 10⁵ to 2.5 × 10⁵ plates. The wall-free detection of CE-LIF was applied to the analysis of the flavins in spinach and lettuce leaves.     

Synthesis and binding ability of bile acid-based receptors for recognition of flavin analogues

Novel cholaphanes 6a,b, based on lithocholic and deoxycholic acids, were synthesised through 3a,b by a sequence of reactions involving Cs-salt methodology of macrocyclisation. Cholaphanes 6a,b and acyclic steroidal receptors 3a,b bind flavin analogues via three hydrogen bonds in CHCl₃.     

黄素体系电子转移过程光谱研究

黄素类物质在生物体内广泛存在,是许多电子转移反应的活性中心,也是电子传递链的重要组成部分。其受到光照激发后引起的电子转移,是许多生命过程的基础与起始步骤。特别地,一种名为隐花色素的黄素蛋白在光激发后经一系列电子转移形成自旋相关自由基对,被认为是最有可能的生物磁敏物质,更使黄素体系电子转移过程的动力学,特别是自旋动力学过程倍受关注。对黄素电子转移过程及相关机理进行研究,有助于厘清多种生命过程的化学机理与影响因素。为此,科学界综合运用了多种仪器与测试手段,其中主要包括紫外-可见光谱,荧光光谱,瞬态吸收光谱,光化学诱导动态核极化（Photo-CIDNP）技术等。通过多年的研究,对黄素在生物体内的作用机理与电子转移过程的认识经历了由浅入深,不断深入的过程。紫外-可见光谱（UV-Vis）主要用于研究黄素系统中的电子激发,自旋动力学和电子转移。结合理论计算,UV-Vis还可以识别电子转移中涉及的基团并进行定量分析。荧光光谱可以识别电子受激发的物质,在反应过程中观察黄素和半醌中间体的产生和消耗,并确定其氧化还原和质子化状态。瞬态吸收光谱适于观测反应过程中出现的短寿命物种,其中飞秒泵浦探测技术的引入大大提高了观测的时间分辨率,并且可以通过光谱特征区分单重态和三重态的自由基对。光化学诱导动态核极化核磁共振（NMR）可以直接观察电子-核自旋动力学过程。磁场依赖性photo-CIDNP NMR揭示了控制单重态与三重态互变的因素,并提出了生物地磁导航可能依赖的化学机制。腔吸收与单分子光谱的运用,从技术上提高了实验装置的灵敏度并降低检测限。主要介绍黄素体系电子转移过程研究所运用的各种光谱手段与取得的成果,并展望其未来。     

Site-specific immobilization of flavin adenine dinucleotide on indium/tin oxide electrodes through flavin adenine amino group

A Mannich-type reaction was used to attach flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) covalently to aminosilane derivatized indium/tin oxide-coated glass plates. The aminosilane was activated with formaldehyde to give an intermediate that attached specifically to the adenine amino group of FAD. The presence of the intermediate also was demonstrated by coupling hydroquinone to the formaldehyde activated support. The immobilized FAD and hydroquinone were characterized by cyclic or differential pulse voltammetry. The immobilized FAD was shown to reduce the overpotential for NADH oxidation by 180 mV. In keeping with results for FAD on glassy carbon, FAD attached to indium/tin oxide at the adenine amino group did not lead to reconstitution of activity with apoglucose oxidase. On leave from University of Madras, India.     

Inhibition mechanism of flavin by deprenyl as an acetylenic irreversible inhibitor

Possible inhibition mechanisms of flavin (isoalloxazine) with (−)-deprenyl as an acetylenic irreversible inhibitor have been investigated in detail by ab initio methods with the 6-31G* basis set through the simplified model compounds 3-formyl-2-imino-1-hydropyrazine and propargylamine. The resulting compounds have been verified by calculations with the 3-21G basis set using flavin itself and the model of (−)-deprenyl for confirmation of the reactions through the simplified models. Two cyclic O4,N5- and C4a,N5-covalent adducts have been found. The latter was the most stable and was considered to be the final irreversible product. The intermediates in the reaction, the acyclic C4a- or N5-allenic compounds and their hydrogen-transferred cyanine-type compounds, are in agreement with the results of experimental photochemical reactions. In most of the reaction processes, hydrogen migration played an important role. Received: 26 June 1998 / Accepted: 28 August 1998 / Published online: 11 November 1998