Nitrate reductases from leaves of Ricinus (Ricinus communis L.) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) have different regulatory properties

The activity of nitrate reductase (+Mg(2+), NR(act)) in illuminated leaves from spinach, barley and pea was 50-80% of the maximum activity (+EDTA, NR(max)). However, NR from leaves of Ricinus communis L. had a 10-fold lower NR(act), while NR(max) was similar to that in spinach leaves. The low NR(act) of Ricinus was independent of day-time and nitrate nutrition, and varied only slightly with leaf age. Possible factors in Ricinus extracts inhibiting NR were not found. NR(act) from Ricinus, unlike the spinach enzyme, was very low at pH 7.6, but much higher at more acidic pH with a distinct maximum at pH 6.5. NR(max) had a broad pH response profile that was similar for the spinach and the Ricinus enzyme. Accordingly, the Mg(2+)-sensitivity of NR from Ricinus was strongly pH-dependent (increasing sensitivity with increasing pH), and as a result, the apparent activation state of NR from a Ricinus extract varied dramatically with pH and Mg(2+)concentration. Following a light-dark transition, NR(act) from Ricinus decreased within 1 h by 40%, but this decrease was paralleled by NR(max). In contrast to the spinach enzyme, Ricinus-NR was hardly inactivated by incubating leaf extracts with ATP plus okadaic acid. A competition analysis with antibodies against the potential 14-3-3 binding site around ser 543 of the spinach enzyme revealed that Ricinus-NR contains the same site. Removal of 14-3-3 proteins from Ricinus-NR by anion exchange chromatography, activated spinach-NR but caused little if any activation of Ricinus-NR. It is suggested that Mg(2+)-inhibition of Ricinus-NR does not require 14-3-3 proteins. The rather slow changes in Ricinus-NR activity upon a light/dark transient may be mainly due to NR synthesis or degradation.     

A comparison between the responses of neutral red and acridine orange: acridine orange should be preferential and alternative to neutral red as a dye for the monitoring of contaminants by means of biological sensors

The acridine orange (AO) and neutral red (NR) dyes, commonly used as probes to measure the internal pH in acidic vesicles, are compared in this article. The comparison between the two dyes (arising from calculations taking into account their analytical constants) illustrated that the use of AO is preferential to that of NR because the AO response is sensitive over the whole pH range between 4.0 and 7.4, whereas the NR response is effective only between pHs 4.0 and 6.0. In addition, it became evident from the mitochondrial respiration response that NR, unlike AO, is a protonophore. When taken into consideration, these two properties suggest that AO is more suitable than NR as an indicator of toxicity measurements in water samples because the environmental toxic compounds induce pH changes in the acidic vesicles of biological structures that are used as environmental biosensors.     

Testosterone and bioavailable testosterone help to distinguish between mild Cushing's syndrome and polycystic ovarian syndrome

Women with Cushing's syndrome (CS) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may present with similar symptoms. Subjects with mild CS lack clinical stigmata of classical CS and often have normal laboratory tests measuring hypercortisolism. Thus, distinguishing mild CS from PCOS may be difficult. We hypothesized that either total testosterone (TT) or bioavailable testosterone (BT) levels or the calculation of the free androgen index (FAI) would be low in patients with mild CS and elevated in patients with PCOS, and could help differentiate the two conditions. TT, BT, and FAI were measured in a group of 20 patients of reproductive age with mild CS and 20 PCOS patients matched for age and BMI. We used receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves to assess the sensitivity and specificity of these measurements for the diagnosis of CS. TT (p<0.0001), BT (p=0.02), and FAI (p=0.003) were significantly elevated in PCOS patients compared to mild CS patients. Sex hormone-binding globulin was similar in both groups. The optimal cut-point for TT was 1.39 nmol/L, yielding a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 70%. The cut-point for BT was 0.24 nmol/L, resulting in a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 80%. The cut-point for FAI was 5.7, with a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 60%. We conclude that TT levels may be useful to discriminate between mild CS and PCOS. In patients with signs and symptoms consistent with CS and PCOS, a TT level of <1.39 nmol/L warrants a workup for CS.     

Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance studies on enzymatic specific activity and direct electrochemistry of immobilized glucose oxidase in the presence of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate and multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) technique was utilized to monitor in situ the adsorption of glucose oxidase (GOD) and the mixture of GOD and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) onto Au electrodes with and without modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) or SDBS/MWCNTs composite, and the relationship between enzymatic specific activity (ESA) and direct electrochemistry of the immobilized GOD was quantitatively evaluated for the first time. Compared with the bare gold electrode at which a little GOD was adsorbed and the direct electrochemistry of the adsorbed GOD was negligible, the amount and electroactivity of adsorbed GOD were greatly enhanced when the GOD was mixed with SDBS and then adsorbed onto the SDBS/MWCNTs modified Au electrode. However, the ESA of the adsorbed GOD was fiercely decreased to only 16.1% of the value obtained on the bare gold electrode, and the portion of adsorbed GOD showing electrochemical activity exhibited very low enzymatic activity, demonstrating that the electroactivity and ESA of immobilized GOD responded oppositely to the presence of MWCNTs and SDBS. The ESA results obtained from the EQCM method were well supported by conventional UV-vis spectrophotometry. The direct electrochemistry of redox proteins including enzymes as a function of their biological activities is an important concern in biotechnology, and this work may have presented a new and useful protocol to quantitatively evaluate both the electroactivity and ESA of trace immobilized enzymes, which is expected to find wider applications in biocatalysis and biosensing fields.     

Electrochemical DNA biosensor for screening of chlorinated benzene pollutants

In this work, an electrochemical DNA biosensor based on double-stranded DNA modified Au electrode (dsDNA/Au) was proposed for the rapid screening and detection of chlorinated benzenes pollutants, in which redox-active methylene blue (MB) was used to amplify the interaction between dsDNA and the target analyte. Using hexachlorobenzene (HCB) as a model analyte of chlorinated benzenes, the biosensor demonstrated a linear response with the logarithm of HCB concentrations from 100 pmol L(-1) to 100 nmol L(-1). The obtained detection limit was 30 pmol L(-1), which was remarkably superior to other biosensors. The interaction mechanism of the biosensor with HCB was proposed based on systematical characterization by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), UV-vis spectrometry and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). Further studies revealed that the biosensor could screen chlorinated benzenes in the presence of 100 fold amount of other co-existing chemicals (ethyl acetate and sodium oxalate, etc.), and the response signal of the biosensors for different chlorinated benzenes was correlative to their respective toxicity. The proposed biosensor proved to be a promising "alarm" tool for rapid screening of chlorinated benzenes in real water samples.     

PDEA-coated magnetic nanoparticles for gene delivery to Hep G2 cells

Poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) coated magnetic nanoparticles (PDEA-MNPs) were synthesized as a new gene nanocarrier to delivery plasmids (pEGFPN1 and pRL-TK) into human hepatoma (Hep G2) cells. The PDEA-MNPs shows the pH-sensitive property. These nanoparticles are positively charged at acidic pH and negatively charged at neutral or alkaline pH. The PDEAMNPs exhibited a low cytotoxicity in Hep G2 cells. PDEA-MNPs could bind and protect DNA from DNase I degradation. The transfection study demonstrated that the PDEA-MNPs could carry plasmid into Hep G2 cells and exhibited a high gene transfection efficiency. These results indicated that the novel magnetic nanoparticles could enhance gene transfection in vitro and hold the potential to be a promising non-viral nanodevice.     

Characterization of the carboxypeptidase N secreted by Hep G2 cells

Human hepatoma (Hep G2) cells secrete nanogram quantities of carboxypeptidase enzymes which are capable of hydrolyzing COOH-terminal lysine and arginine residues. A carboxypeptidase with a neutral pH optimum (greater than pH 7.0) was partially purified from the conditioned medium and compared with pure plasma carboxypeptidase N. The two enzymes behaved in a similar manner on gel filtration (apparent Mr = 280,000), DE52 ion exchange chromatography, and concanavalin A-affinity chromatography and were indistinguishable enzymatically and immunologically. Immunoblots of the Hep G2 and plasma carboxypeptidase N before and following deglycosylation with peptide-N4-[N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl]asparagine amidase F revealed a similar, if not identical, multimeric structure. A second carboxypeptidase with a lower molecular weight and a pH optimum of 5.0 was also detected in the Hep G2 medium.     

A cytotoxic substance produced by a wild culture of Lactobacillus casei D-34 against tumour cells

A wild lactic culture isolated from dahi (fermented milk) sample and characterised as L. casei D-34 was found to be significantly cytotoxic (34-36%) against three tumour cell lines, HeLa, HEp-2 and HFS-9. The cytotoxic substance (CS) was found to be in the culture supernatants, protein in nature, with a molecular weight ranging from 17,000-20,000. The crude culture supernatant was partially purified by dialysis and ion exchange chromatography as anionic, cationic and neutral fractions. Among the fractions, except for the anionic fraction, others were found to be highly cytotoxic against all three tumour cell lines. The cationic, neutral and pooled (anionic:cationic:neutral in 1:1:1 ratio) fractions showed 50, 70, 70% cytotoxicity against Hep-2 cells, 70, 88, 94% against HFS-9 cells and 50, 89, 90% against HeLa cells respectively. Pooled fraction was found to exhibit higher percent of cytotoxicity compared to individual fractions indicating a synergistic effect. (3H)-thymidine incorporation studies revealed that CS and its fractions inhibited DNA synthesis in tumour cells. The CS was stable towards heat and pH changes.     

Spectrometric and voltammetric investigation of interaction of neutral red with calf thymus DNA: pH effect

The interaction of neutral red (NR) with calf thymus DNA (CT DNA) was investigated by spectrometric (UV-vis, circular dichroism and fluorescence) and voltammetric techniques. It was shown that the interaction of NR with DNA depended on the values of R (R is defined as the ratio of the concentration of NR to that of CT DNA) and pH of the solution. NR intercalated into CT DNA base pairs at lower R value (R < 2.4) and following by NR aggregating along the helical surface of DNA at higher R value (R > 2.4) in pH 6.0 solution. Interestingly, we found that at lower R value, NR intercalated into CT DNA with its long axis perpendicular or parallel to the dyad axis of DNA in the solution of pH 6.0. While in pH 7.0 solution, NR bound with CT DNA through intercalation and electrostatic interactions. The electrochemical inactive complexes, NR-2CT DNA, 3NR-CT DNA, and NR-CT DNA were formed when NR interacted with nucleic acids in pH 6.0 and 7.2 solutions, respectively. The corresponding intrinsic binding constants for these complexes were obtained by UV-vis and fluorescence spectrometric methods, respectively. The CD spectra showed that the conformation of CT DNA was converted from right-handed B-DNA to left-handed Z-DNA due to the aggregating of NR along the surface of DNA in pH 6.0 solution, whereas a conversion from B-DNA to C-DNA was induced due to the interaction of DNA with NR in pH 7.2 solution. Finally, two binding modes of NR with CT DNA in aqueous with different values of pH were shown in the scheme.     

An EQCM study on the interaction of heparin with the charge-transfer complex generated during o-tolidine electrooxidation: a biosensing mode with a dynamically renewed surface

The electrooxidation of o-tolidine (oTD) was investigated via the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) technique. The formation and breakage of the poorly soluble charge-transfer complex (CTC) occurred during the redox switching of oTD, and the CTC precipitation on and its removal from the electrode surface led to a V-shaped frequency response to the cyclic voltammetric switching of oTD. The V-shaped frequency response to the redox switching of the CTC/oTD "couple" and the electrode-collection efficiency of the CTC precipitate were notably enhanced by the introduction of sodium heparin due to the formation of the CTC-heparin adduct as reported here for the first time. FTIR and UV-Vis characterizations also supported the interaction between the CTC and heparin. The molar ratio of the positively charged CTC to negatively charged heparin of the adduct was estimated here to be between 31.5 and 36.5, being close to the anticipated value, 37.5, for the full electrical neutralization in the adduct. An EQCM-based biosensor featured by a dynamically renewed surface of the detection electrode was proposed for heparin assay, with a limit of detection of 18.5 nM (S/N=3) in pH 6.0 Britton-Robinson buffer solution containing a 10-fold diluted blood serum. This method is convenient in operation and highly free from the interference from coexisting substances including proteins. The new and intriguing biosensing concept based on the labile CTC-"target" adduct is featured by a dynamically renewable and regenerable surface of the detection electrode, and it is highly recommended for wide biosensing and electroanalytical applications.     

The ligand-binding profile of HARE: hyaluronan and chondroitin sulfates A, C, and D bind to overlapping sites distinct from the sites for heparin, acetylated low-density lipoprotein, dermatan sulfate, and CS-E

The hyaluronic acid receptor for endocytosis (HARE)/ Stabilin-2 is the primary systemic scavenger receptor for hyaluronan (HA), the chondroitin sulfates (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS), and nonglycosaminoglycan (GAG) ligands such as acetylated low-density lipoprotein (AcLDL), pro-collagen propeptides, and advanced glycation end products. We recently discovered that HARE is also a systemic scavenger receptor for heparin (Hep) (Harris EN, Weigel JA, Weigel PH. 2008. The human hyaluronan receptor for endocytosis [HARE/Stabilin-2] is a systemic clearance receptor for heparin. J Biol Chem. 283:17341-17350). Our goal was to map the binding sites of eight different ligands within HARE. We used biotinylated GAGs and radio-iodinated streptavidin or AcLDL to assess the binding activities of ligands directly or indirectly (by competition with unlabeled ligands) in endocytosis assays using stable cell lines expressing the 315 or 190 kDa HA receptor for endocytosis (315- or 190-HARE) isoforms, and ELISA-like assays, with purified recombinant soluble 190-HARE ecto-domain. For example, Hep binding to HARE was competed by DS, CS-E, AcLDL, and dextran sulfate, but not by other CS types, HA, dextran, or heparosan. (125)I-AcLDL binding to HARE was partially competed by Hep and dextran sulfate, but not competed by HA. Two ligands, DS and CS-E, competed with both Hep and HA to some degree. Hep and HA binding or endocytosis is mutually inclusive; binding of these two GAGs occurs with functionally separate, noncompetitive, and apparently noninteracting domains. Thus, HARE binds to HA and Hep simultaneously. Although the domain(s) responsible for Hep binding remains unknown, the Link domain was required for HARE binding to HA, CS-A, CS-C, and CS-D. These results enable us to outline, for the first time, a binding activity map for multiple ligands of HARE.     

Lysosomal triacylglycerol lipase activity in L6 myoblasts and its changes on differentiation.

L6 myoblasts, before fusion, accumulate large stores of neutral lipid when cultured in medium supplemented with fatty acid. Upon fusion to terminally differentiated myotubes, a noticeable decrease in these neutral-lipid stores was observed. Triacylglycerol lipase activity was examined in L6 myoblasts at various stages of cell differentiation to assess a possible role for this enzyme in the above phenomenon. In this first study to demonstrate lipolytic activity in cultured muscle cells, the activity was found to be totally dependent on the presence of a detergent, either Cutscum or Triton X-100, during homogenization. The inhibition by many thiol-specific reagents [N-ethylmaleimide, p-chloromercuribenzoate, iodoacetate, 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid)] suggest that a thiol group is at or near the active site. The observed acidic pH optimum (5.5-6.0), the acute inhibition by chlorpromazine (a lysosomal lipase inhibitor) and the distribution of lipolytic activity upon cell fractionation (which co-sediments with acid phosphatase, a lysosomal marker enzyme) suggest that the lipase may be of lysosomal origin. Under the optimal conditions described, the triacylglycerol lipase activity of L6 myoblasts was determined to be 2.9 +/- 0.4 nmol of oleic acid released/min per mg of DNA. This activity increased 3-fold, to 9.0 +/- 1.6 nmol/min per mg, in the myotube phase. This increase in lipolytic activity may be responsible for the observed decrease in neutral-lipid stores of differentiating myoblasts.     

Evidence for two different nitrate-reducing activities at the plasma membrane in roots ofZea mays L.

Plasma-membrane (PM) vesicles isolated from 6-d-old corn roots by sucrose gradient centrifugation or two-phase partitioning showed an NADH-dependent nitrate reductase (NR) activity averaging at 40 nmol per milligram PM protein per hour. This membrane-associated NR activity could not be removed from two-phase-partitioned PM vesicles by salt washing, osmotic shock treatment, sonication, or freeze-thawing to reverse vesicle sidedness. Therefore, it could not be attributed to contamination of membrane vesicles by the soluble, cytosolic NR. Plasma-membrane vesicles reduced NO ₃ ^- in the presence of the electron donors NADH or NADPH at an activity ratio of 2.2. The NADH- and NADPH-dependent NR activities of outside-out oriented PM vesicles differed in their sensitivity toward the detergent Brij 58, leading to a latency of 65% or 29% using NADH or NADPH as electron donor, respectively. The activities of NO ₃ ^- reduction in the presence of saturating concentrations of NADH and NADPH were additive. Furthermore, both activities were characterized by a different pH dependence with a pH optimum of 7.5 for the NADH-dependent activity and of 6.8 for the NADPH-dependent activity. The membrane-associated NAD(P)H-dependent NR activities responded to different nitrogen nutrition of plants in a manner different from the soluble forms of the enzyme. The data confirm the existence of a corn PM NR and suggest that there may be two different NO ₃ ^- -reducing enzymes located at the PM of corn roots.Abbreviations PM Plasma membrane - NR nitrate reductase This research was supported by grants from the National Research Council of Italy (bilateral project between Italy and Germany to Z.V. and U.L.), by the Ministero dell' Università e Ricera Scientifice e Tecnologica (MURST 40%) and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

The effect of photosensitizing dyes on the 3H-thymidine incorporation of cells grown in vitro

The photodynamic inactivation of ³H-thymidine incorporation in mouse embryo (ME) and mouse L cells by acridine orange (AO), methylene blue (MB) or neutral red (NR) has been studied by estimating the number of nuclei capable of incorporating ³H-thymidine during a 24 h period following light exposure. In the dark NR and AO reduced the number of ME-nuclei incorporating ³H-thymidine but MB caused an increase in non-scheduled DNA synthesis. The dark effect on L cells was less but the photoinactivation of thymidine uptake was proportionally greater in these cells. Polyoma virus was shown to be capable of growing in cells whose thymidine uptake was reduced or completely stopped by photoinactivation with NR. However, if the NR damage was very great, or when AO was used to photosensitize cells, the synthesis of viral DNA was interfered with.     

Lipids noncovalently associated with keratins and other cytoskeletal proteins of mouse mammary epithelial cells in primary culture.

Lipids noncovalently associated with cytoskeletal (CS) proteins of mouse mammary epithelial cells (MMEC) grown in primary culture were analyzed. A CS fraction, prepared by subjecting MMEC to 1.5 M KCl and 1% Triton X-100 in phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4), was extracted 4-6 times with chloroform/methanol. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) indicated that in comparison to whole cell lipid extracts, CS lipids consisted mostly of neutral lipids, especially triacylglycerols and, possibly cholesteryl esters. TLC analysis of chloroform/methanol CS extracts prepared from MMEC that had been incubated 4 h in [3H]palmitate revealed similar results, with the majority of label appearing in triacylglycerols and other neutral lipids. By autoradiography of sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels, all of the major CS proteins appeared labelled. The major regions of autoradiographic density of the gel were excised, the protein solubilized, and the lipids extracted and subjected to TLC. Most of the radiolabel appeared at the origin and ion front and resolved as neutral lipids. In contrast, keratins of 54-55 kDa and 46 kDa appeared to be associated noncovalently with a higher ratio of polar lipids (possibly phospholipids) to nonpolar (neutral lipids). Very little radioactivity, mostly neutral lipid, was associated with actin. A previously unidentified CS component of 30 kDa had primarily noncovalently bound neutral lipid. The results are discussed in terms of the apparent interactions of keratin filaments with the plasma membrane, nuclear envelope and cytoplasmic organelles.     

The effects of endogenous cytokinin content on benzyladenineenhanced nitrate reductase induction

Foliar application of benzyladenine (BA) has been shown to enhance nitrate-dependent induction of nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1) in etiolated wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings. Whether similar enhancement occurs in light-grown plants, or whether endogenous cytokinin content affects this enhancement is unknown. Since the cytokinin content of etiolated plants probably differs from that of light-grown seedlings, the NR response of each to exogenous root- or shoot-applied BA in wheat (cv. Red Bob) was examined. Endogenous cytokinins present in untreated control tissues prior to BA application and changes that occurred after a 22 h (12 h dark followed by 10 h of light) period were determined using a combined HPLC-immunoassay method. Shoot application of BA enhanced the induction of NR in etiolated seedlings in a concentration-dependent manner but failed to enhance NR induction in light-grown plants. Root-applied BA enhanced NR induction in both etiolated and light-grown seedlings. Endogenous root cytokinin levels were similar in both etiolated and light-grown plants. In contrast, shoots of 6 day-old light-grown seedlings contained at least 20 times the amount of total cytokinins measured in shoots from etiolated plants of the same age. Total cytokinin content of the light-grown plants diminished after the 22-h period while that measured in etiolated seedlings increased. The responsiveness of seedlings to BA was correlated with endogenous cytokinin levels in that enhancement of NR induction by exogenous BA was low in tissues which contained high concentrations of cytokinin at the time of BA application. These results may prove useful in interpretation of gene responses to exogenous plant growth regulators.     

Molten globule formation in apomyoglobin monitored by the fluorescent probe Nile Red

The interaction of nile red (NR) with apomyoglobin (ApoMb) in the native (pH 7) and molten globule (pH 4) states was investigated using experimental and computational methods. NR binds to hydrophobic locations in ApoMb with higher affinity (K(d) = 25 +/- 5 microM) in the native state than in the molten globule state (K(d) = 52 +/- 5 microM). In the molten globule state, NR is located in a more hydrophobic environment. The dye does not bind to the holoprotein, suggesting that the binding site is located at the heme pocket. In addition to monitoring steady-state properties, the fluorescence emission of NR is capable of tracking submillisecond, time-resolved structural rearrangements of the protein, induced by a nanosecond pH jump. Molecular dynamics simulations were run on ApoMb at neutral pH and at pH 4. The structure obtained for the molten globule state is consistent with the experimentally available structural data. The docking of NR with the crystal structure shows that the ligand binds into the binding pocket of the heme group, with an orientation bringing the planar ring system of NR to overlap with the position of two of the heme porphyrin rings in Mb. The docking of NR with the ApoMb structure at pH 4 shows that the dye binds to the heme pocket with a slightly less favorable binding energy, in keeping with the experimental K(d) value. Under these conditions, NR is positioned in a different orientation, reaching a more hydrophobic environment in agreement with the spectroscopic data.     

Synchronous fluorescence, UV-visible spectrophotometric, and voltammetric studies of the competitive interaction of bis(1,10-phenanthroline)copper(II) complex and neutral red with DNA

Constant wavelength synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (CW-SFS), UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry were applied to investigate the competitive interaction of DNA with the bis(1,10-phenanthroline)copper(II) complex cation ([Cu(phen)(2)](2+)) and a fluorescence probe, neutral red dye (NR), in a tris-hydrogen chloride buffer (pH 7.4). The results show that both the [Cu(phen)(2)](2+)and the NR molecules can intercalate competitively into the DNA double-helix structure. The cyclic voltammetry method showed that both anodic and cathodic currents of [Cu(phen)(2)](2+) decreased on addition of the DNA and the intercalated [Cu(phen)(2)](2+)-DNA complex formed (beta = (4.14 +/- 0.24) x 10(3)). CW-SFS measurements were facilitated by the use of the three-way resolution of the CW-SFS for NR, [Cu(phen)(2)](2+), and NR-DNA. The important constant wavelength (CW) interval, Deltalambda, was shown to vary considerably when optimized (135, 58, and 98 nm for NR, NR-DNA, and [Cu(phen)(2)](2+), respectively). This approach clearly avoided the errors that otherwise would have arisen from the common assumption that Deltalambda is constant. Furthermore, a chemometrics approach, parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), was applied to resolve the measured three-way CW-SFS data, and the results provided simultaneously the concentration information for the three reaction components, NR, [Cu(phen)(2)](2+), and NR-DNA, for the system at each equilibrium point. The PARAFAC analysis indicated that the intercalation of the [Cu(phen)(2)](2+) molecule into the DNA proceeds by exchanging with the NR probe and can be attributed to two parallel reactions. Comprehensive information was readily obtained; the replacement of the intercalated NR commenced immediately on introduction of [Cu(phen)(2)](2+), approximately 50% of NR was replaced by [Cu(phen)(2)](2+) at a concentration of 0.45 x 10(-5) mol L(-1), and nearly all of the NR was replaced at a [Cu(phen)(2)](2+) concentration of 2.50 x 10(-5) mol L(-1). This work has the potential to improve extraction of information from the fluorescence intercalator displacement (FID) assay.     

Light-induced pH changes and changes in absorbance of pH indicators in Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores.

1. The light-induced pH change of chromatophore suspensions from Rhodospirillum rubrum was stimulated significantly and similarly by KCl, NaCl, LiCl, RbCl, CsCl, MgCl2, MnCl2, and CaCl2. In the dark, the pH of chromatophore suspensions decreased immediately and markedly on adding these salts. 2. The light-induced pH change stimulated by KCl plus valinomycin was inhibited by LiCl and NaCl, but not by RbCl. 3. The optimum pH values for light-induced pH change and photosynthetic ATP formation were around 5 and 8, respectively. The amount of chromatophore-bound ubiquinone-10 reduced in the light was independent of pH from 5 to 9. At pH 8, the number of protons incorporated into chromatophores in the light was one-half of the number of ubiquinone-10 molecules reduced in the light. 4. Among several pH indicators tested, bromothymol blue (BTB) and neutral red (NR) showed absorbance changes on illumination of chromatophores. Although the pH change indicated by the absorbance change was opposite to the light-induced pH change of the medium, the effect of KCl on the absorbance changes of BTB and NR, and the effect of valinomycin on that of NR, but not on that of BTB, were similar to those on the light-induced pH change. 5. The light-induced absorbance change of BTB was significantly inhibited by NR, whereas that of NR was hardly influenced by BTB. 6. Oligomycin stimulated the light-induced absorbance change of BTB under either non-phosphorylating or phosphorylating conditions. On the other hand, that of NR under phosphorylating conditions was 50% of that under non-phosphorylating conditions, and was increased by oligomycin.