Fluorescence enhancement of rare earth Tb(III) by Tm(III) in benzyl benzoylmethyl sulphoxide complexes

A series of rare earth complexes [(Tb_xTm_y)L₅(ClO₄)₂](ClO₄)·3H₂O (x:y = 1.000:0.000, 0.999:0.001, 0.995:0.005, 0.990:0.010, 0.950:0.050, 0.900:0.100, 0.800:0.200, 0.700:0.300; L = C₆H₅CH₂SOCH₂COC₆H₅) (Tb(III) luminescence ion; Tm(III) doped inert ion) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra (IR) and ¹H‐NMR. The photophysical properties of these complexes were studied in detail using ultraviolet absorption spectra, fluorescent spectra and lifetimes. The fluorescence spectra of complexes indicated that the fluorescence emission intensity was significantly enhanced by Tm(III). The complexes showed the best luminescence properties when the mole ratio Tb(III):Tm(III) was 0.990:0.010. The fluorescence intensity could be increased to 390%. Additionally, phosphorescence spectra and the luminescence mechanisms are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Steady-state luminescence investigation of the binding of Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions with synthetic peptides derived from plant thionins

This work reports Eu(III) and Tb(III) luminescence titrations in which the lanthanide ions were used as spectroscopic probes for Ca(II) ions to determine the metal binding ability of Ac-NESVKEEGGW-NH(2) and Ac-NESVKEDGGW-NH(2). These decapeptides correspond to the putative calcium binding region of the plant antifungal proteins SI-alpha1 from Sorghum bicolor and of Zeathionin from Zea mays, respectively. The luminescence spectra for the Eu(III)-decapeptide system (red emission) with the excitation at the Trp band at 280 nm showed an enhancement of the intensities of the 5D(0)-->7F(J) transitions (where J=0-4) with increments of Eu(III) ion concentration. The photoluminescence titration data of the terbium ion (green emission) in the decapeptide solutions showed intensification of the 5D(4)-->7F(J) transitions (J=0-6), similar to that observed for the Eu(III) ion. Thus, energy transfer from Ac-NESVKEEGGW-NH(2) and Ac-NESVKEDGGW-NH(2) to the trivalent lanthanide ions revealed that these peptides are capable of binding to these metal ions with association constants of the order of 10(5) M(-1). The amino acid derivative Ac-Trp-OEt also transferred energy to Tb(III) and Eu(III) ions as judged from the quenching of tryptophan luminescence. However, the energy transfers were significantly lower. Taken together the luminescence titration data indicated that Ac-NESVKEEGGW-NH(2) and Ac-NESVKEDGGW-NH(2) bind efficiently to both trivalent lanthanide ions and that these ions may be used as probes to distinguish an anionic peptide from a neutral amino acid derivative.     

Europium(III) luminescence and tyrosine to terbium(III) energy-transfer studies of invertebrate (octopus) calmodulin.

The effects of minor differences in the amino acid sequences between a vertebrate (bovine testes) and an invertebrate (octopus) calmodulin on metal ion binding were investigated via laser-induced Eu3+ and Tb3+ luminescence. Amino acid substitutions at residues which are coordinated to the metal ion do not produce any detectable changes in the 7F0----5D0 excitation spectrum of the Eu3+ ion bound to octopus calmodulin relative to bovine testes calmodulin; only minor differences in the excited-state lifetime values in D2O solution are observed. The dissociation constants for Eu3+ (1.0 +/- 0.2 microM) and Tb3+ (5 +/- 1 microM) from the weak lanthanide binding sites (III and IV, numbered from the amino terminus) of octopus calmodulin were measured using luminescence techniques. Both values agree well with those reported previously for bovine testes calmodulin [Mulqueen, P. M., Tingey, J. M., & Horrocks, W. D., Jr. (1985) Biochemistry 24, 6639-6645]. The measured dissociation constant of Eu3+ bound in the tight lanthanide binding sites (I and II) is 6 +/- 2 nM for octopus calmodulin and 12 +/- 2 nM for bovine testes calmodulin. The distances between sites I and II (12.4 +/- 0.5 A) and sites III and IV (11.7 +/- 0.8 A) were determined from F?rster-type energy transfer in D2O solutions of octopus calmodulin containing bound Eu3+ donor and Nd3+ acceptor ions. F?rster theory parameters for nonradiative energy transfer between Tyr138 and Tb3+ ions bound at sites III and IV of octopus calmodulin were comprehensively evaluated, including a dynamics simulation of the orientation factor kappa 2. This theory is found to account quantitatively for the observed energy-transfer efficiency as evaluated from the observed sensitized Tb3+ emission.     

Binding of terbium and of an elastase inhibitor to bovine pancreatic subunit III, an inactive protease E

Using the Tb3+ luminescence technique, we showed that bovine subunit III, a defective pancreatic serine endopeptidase-like protease, possessed a single metal ion binding site able to bind Tb3+ with a high affinity comparable to that of porcine elastase. The topology of the metal ion binding site in subunit III is predicted from sequence homologies and modeling experiments based on the known crystallographic three-dimensional structures of the equivalent sites in porcine elastase 1 and bovine beta-trypsin. Moreover, the Tb3+ luminescence technique in parallel to a 19F NMR investigation, allowed us to measure the binding of a very potent specific inhibitor of porcine elastase (trifluoroacetyl-L-lysyl-alanyl p-trifluoromethylphenylanilide) to bovine subunit III. These results confirm that, although devoid of any specific activity, subunit III might possess a conformation close to that of an active enzyme and further support the analogy between subunit III and an elastase-like family.     

Comparison of terbium (III) luminescence enhancement in mutants of EF hand calcium binding proteins.

The luminescent isomorphous Ca2+ analogue, Tb3+, can be bound in the 12-amino acid metal binding sites of proteins of the EF hand family, and its luminescence can be enhanced by energy transfer from a nearby aromatic amino acid. Tb3+ can be used as a sensitive luminescent probe of the structure and function of these proteins. The effect of changing the molecular environment around Tb3+ on its luminescence was studied using native Cod III parvalbumin and site-directed mutants of both oncomodulin and calmodulin. Titrations of these proteins showed stoichiometries of fill corresponding to the number of Ca2+ binding loops present. Tryptophan in binding loop position 7 best enhanced Tb3+ luminescence in the oncomodulin mutant Y57W, as well as VU-9 (F99W) and VU-32 (T26W) calmodulin. Excitation spectra of Y57F, F102W, Y65W oncomodulin, and Cod III parvalbumin revealed that the principal Tb3+ luminescence donor residues were phenylalanine or tyrosine located in position 7 of a loop, despite the presence of other nearby donors, including tryptophan. Spectra also revealed conformational differences between the Ca2+- and Tb(3+)-bound forms. An alternate binding loop, based on Tb3+ binding to model peptides, was inserted into the CD loop of oncomodulin by cassette mutagenesis. The order of fill of Tb3+ in this protein reversed, with the mutated loop binding Tb3+ first. This indicates a much higher affinity for the consensus-based mutant loop. The mutant loop inserted into oncomodulin had 32 times more Tb3+ luminescence than the identical synthetic peptide, despite having the same donor tryptophan and metal binding ligands. In this paper, a ranking of sensitivity of luminescence of bound Tb3+ is made among this subset of calcium binding proteins. This ranking is interpreted in light of the structural differences affecting Tb3+ luminescence enhancement intensity. The mechanism of energy transfer from an aromatic amino acid to Tb3+ is consistent with a short-range process involving the donor triplet state as described by Dexter (Dexter, D. L. (1953) J. Chem. Phys. 21, 836). This cautions against the use of the F?rster equation in approximating distances in these systems.     

A luminescent affinity tag for proteins based on the terbium(III)-binding peptide

Genetically encoded tags attached to proteins of interest are widely exploited for proteome analysis. Here, we present Tb(3+)-binding peptides (TBPs) which can be used for both luminescent measurements and affinity purification of proteins. TBPs consist of acidic amino acid residues and tryptophan residues which serve as Tb(3+)-binding sites and sensitizers for Tb(3+) luminescence, respectively. The Tb(3+) complexes of TBPs fused to a target protein exhibited luminescence characteristic of Tb(3+) by excitation of the tryptophan residue, and fusion proteins fused to one of the TPBs were successfully isolated from Escherichia coli cell lysate by affinity chromatography with a Tb(3+)-immobilized solid support.     

Non-cooperative Ca(II) removal and terbium(III) substitution in carp muscle calcium binding parvalbumin.

Close coorelation of atomic absorption measurements for Ca(II) contents indicates that from pH 5.8-7.4 a twentyfold excess of EGTA1 removes but one of two Ca(II) from carp parvalbumin. Thus binding of the two Ca(II) appears to be noncooperative. The maximum in emission intensity observed at a nonintegral 1.4-1.7 equivs of added Tb(III) is shown to be due to quenching by excess Tb(III). The emission intensity at the maximum increased 40% upon dialysis to remove Tb(III) not bound in the CD or EF sites. Atomic absorption results show that both Ca(CD) and Ca(EF) of native parvalbumin are easily replaced by Tb(III). Emission of Tb(EF) is not quenched by Tb(CD), but by solution Tb(III) bound at a third site, perhaps the single water molecule bound to Tb(EF). Labeling of the single sulfhydryl group with a trifluoroacetonyl gorup yields a protein with ultraviolet circular dichroism, emission, and circularly polarized emission spectra closely similar to those of native parvalbumin.     

Competition studies in horse spleen ferritin probed by a kinetically inert inhibitor, [Cr(TREN)(H2O)(OH)]2+, and a highly luminescent Tb(III) reagent

The ability of ferritin as an Fe(II) detoxifier and Fe(III) storage protein is limited by its ability to recognize and incorporate Fe(II), which is then oxidized and mineralized at internal protein sites. The Cr(III) amine complex [Cr(N(CH(2)CH(2)NH(2))(3)(H(2)O)(OH)](2+) [abbreviated as Cr(TREN)] is a kinetically inert inhibitor of iron incorporation and mineralization in ferritin. Unlike other inhibitors, Cr(TREN) can only exchange its two aqua/hydroxy ligands. Competition studies between Cr(TREN) and Tb(III) binding have been performed in horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) to probe uptake of Fe(II). From these studies, we propose that Cr(TREN) inhibits Fe(II) uptake by obstructing the routes of metal uptake and by disrupting the early recognition events at the protein surface that precede metal ion uptake. Using an improved luminescence approach to quantify Tb(III) binding to the protein, we demonstrate that Tb(III) cannot interfere with Cr(TREN) binding to ferritin, but that Cr(TREN) dramatically inhibits Tb(III) binding. We show that bound Tb(III) serves as a reliable reporter for Cr(TREN) binding, as the latter efficiently quenches the Tb(III) luminescence via inter-ion energy transfer. Two types of Cr(TREN) binding sites were successfully distinguished from these competition experiments. A common Tb(III)/Cr(TREN) site was identified with stoichiometry of approximately 0.6 equivalents of metal cation per ferritin subunit. We propose that the sites along the three-fold channels and the ferroxidase sites are common binding sites for Tb(III) and Cr(TREN). The remaining Cr(TREN) (2.4 equivalents of metal ions/subunit) does not compete with Tb(III) but rather blocks Tb(III) access into the cavity and decreases the protein's affinity for Tb(III).     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of two novel lanthanide (III) complexes of acetophenonylcarboxymethyl sulphoxide

A novel ligand containing multiple coordinating groups (sulfinyl, carboxyl and carbonyl groups), acetophenonylcarboxymethyl sulphoxide, was synthesized. Its corresponding two lanthanide (III) binary complexes were synthesized and characterized by element analysis, molar conductivity, FT‐IR, TG‐DTA and UV spectroscopy. Results showed that the composition of these complexes was REL₃L^‐ (ClO₄)₂·3H₂O (RE = Eu (III), Tb (III); L = C₆H₅COCH₂SOCH₂COOH; L^‐ = C₆H₅COCH₂SOCH₂COO^‐). FT‐IR results indicated that acetophenonylcarboxymethyl sulphoxide was bonded with an RE (III) ion by an oxygen atom of the sulfinyl and carboxyl groups and not by an oxygen atom of the carbonyl group due to high steric hinderance. Fluorescent spectra showed that the Tb (III) complex had excellent luminescence as a result of a transfer of energy from the ligand to the excitation state energy level (⁵D₄) of Tb (III). The Eu (III) complex displayed weak luminescence, attributed to low energy transfer efficiency between the triplet state energy level of its ligand and the excited state (⁵D₀) of Eu (III). As a result, the Tb (III) complex displayed a good antenna effect for luminescence. The fluorescence decay curves of Eu (III) and Tb (III) complexes were also measured. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Circularly polarized emission of terbium(III) substituted bovine cardiac troponin-C.

Upon substitution of Tb(III) for the most easily replaced Ca(II) from bovine cardiac TN-C, irradiation at 280 nm produces an emission at 545 nm from Tb(III) that is partially circularly polarized. Characteristics of these emission spectra produced by energy transfer from a tyrosyl side chain to a juxtaposed Tb(III) are virtually identical to those found in rabbit skeletal muscle TN-C and carp parvalbumin. A single homologous tyrosyl residue occurs in the two troponins and is in turn homologous to a phenylalanyl residue in parvalbumins. Addition of the other troponin subunits, TN-I and TN-T, to Tb(III)-TN-C weakens the total emission and completely quenches the circularly polarized emission.     

Evaluating the Performance of Time-Gated Live-Cell Microscopy with Lanthanide Probes

Probes and biosensors that incorporate luminescent Tb(III) or Eu(III) complexes are promising for cellular imaging because time-gated microscopes can detect their long-lifetime (approximately milliseconds) emission without interference from short-lifetime (approximately nanoseconds) fluorescence background. Moreover, the discrete, narrow emission bands of Tb(III) complexes make them uniquely suited for multiplexed imaging applications because they can serve as Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) donors to two or more differently colored acceptors. However, lanthanide complexes have low photon emission rates that can limit the image signal/noise ratio, which has a square-root dependence on photon counts. This work describes the performance of a wide-field, time-gated microscope with respect to its ability to image Tb(III) luminescence and Tb(III)-mediated FRET in cultured mammalian cells. The system employed a UV-emitting LED for low-power, pulsed excitation and an intensified CCD camera for gated detection. Exposure times of ∼1 s were needed to collect 5–25 photons per pixel from cells that contained micromolar concentrations of a Tb(III) complex. The observed photon counts matched those predicted by a theoretical model that incorporated the photophysical properties of the Tb(III) probe and the instrument’s light-collection characteristics. Despite low photon counts, images of Tb(III)/green fluorescent protein FRET with a signal/noise ratio ≥ 7 were acquired, and a 90% change in the ratiometric FRET signal was measured. This study shows that the sensitivity and precision of lanthanide-based cellular microscopy can approach that of conventional FRET microscopy with fluorescent proteins. The results should encourage further development of lanthanide biosensors that can measure analyte concentration, enzyme activation, and protein-protein interactions in live cells.     

Circularly polarized luminescence from terbium(III) as a probe of metal ion binding in calcium-binding proteins.

A number of different experimental techniques have been used to probe the details of structural changes on the binding of Ca(II) to the large number of known calcium-binding proteins. The use of luminescent lanthanide(III) ions, especially terbium(III) and europium(III), as substitutional replacement for calcium(II), has led to a number of useful experiments from which important details concerning the metal ion coordination sites have been obtained. This work is concerned with the measurement of the circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) from the 5D4----7F5 transition of Tb(III) bound to the calcium binding sites of bovine trypsin, bovine brain calmodulin, and frog muscle parvalbumin. It is demonstrated that it is possible to make these polarization measurements from very dilute solutions (less than 20 microM) and monitor structural changes as equivalents of Tb(III) are added. It is shown that the two proteins that belong to the class of "EF-hand" structures (calmodulin and parvalbumin) possess quite similar CPL line shapes, whereas Tb(III) bound to trypsin has a much different band structure. CPL results following competitive and consecutive binding of Ca(II) and Tb(III) bound to calmodulin are also reported and yield information concerning known differences between the sequence of binding of these two species.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of novel 8‐hydroxyquinoline derivatives and their Eu(III) complexes

Six novel 8‐hydroxyquinoline derivatives were synthesized using 2‐methyl‐8‐hydroxyquinoline and para‐substituted phenol as the main starting materials, and were characterized by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), ultraviolet (UV) light analysis and infra‐red (IR) light analysis. Their complexes with Eu(III) were also prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, UV light analysis, IR light analysis, and thermogravimetric–differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA). The results showed that the ligand coordinated well with Eu(III) ions and had excellent thermal stability. The structure of the target complex was EuY^1–6(NO₃)₃.2H₂O. The luminescence properties of the target complexes were investigated, the results indicated that all target complexes had favorable luminescence properties and that the introduction of an electron‐donating group could enhance the luminescence intensity of the corresponding complexes, but the addition of an electron‐withdrawing group had the opposite effect. Among all the target complexes, the methoxy‐substituted complex (–OCH₃) had the highest fluorescence intensity and the nitro‐substituted complex (–NO₂) had the weakest fluorescence intensity. The results showed that 8‐hydroxyquinoline derivatives had good energy transfer efficiency for the Eu(III) ion. All the target complexes had a relatively high fluorescence quantum yield. The fluorescence quantum yield of the complex EuY³(NO₃)₃.2H₂O was highest among all target complexes and was up to 0.628. Because of excellent luminescence properties and thermal stabilities of the Eu(III) complexes, they could be used as promising candidate luminescent materials.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of polymer–rare earth complexes containing salicylaldehyde‐type bidentate Schiff base ligand

Using molecular design and polymer reactions, two types of bidentate Schiff base ligands, salicylaldehyde–aniline (SAN) and salicylaldehyde–cyclohexylamine (SCA), were synchronously synthesized and bonded onto the side chain of polysulfone (PSF), giving two bidentate Schiff base ligand‐functionalized PSFs, PSF–SAN and PSF–SCA, referred to as macromolecular ligands. Following coordination reactions between the macromolecular ligands and Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions (the reaction occurred between the bonded ligands SAN or SCA and the lanthanide ion), two series of luminescent polymer–rare earth complexes, PSF–SAN–Eu(III) and PSF–SCA–Tb(III), were obtained. The two macromolecular ligands were fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ¹H NMR and UV absorption spectroscopy, and the prepared complexes were also characterized by FTIR, UV absorption spectroscopy and thermo‐gravity analysis. On this basis, the photoluminescence properties of these complexes and the relationships between their structure and luminescence were investigated in depth. The results show that the bonded bidentate Schiff base ligands, SAN and SCA, can effectively sensitize the fluorescence emission of Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions, respectively. PSF–SAN–Eu(III) series complexes, namely the binary complex PSF–(SAN)₃–Eu(III) and the ternary complex PSF–(SAN)₃–Eu(III)–(Phen)₁ (Phen is the small‐molecule ligand 1,10‐phenanthroline), produce strong red luminescence, suggesting that the triplet state energy level of SAN is lower and well matched with the resonant energy level of the Eu(III) ion. By contrast, PSF–SAN–Eu(III) series complexes, namely the binary complex PSF–(SCA)₃–Tb(III) and the ternary complex PSF–(SCA)₃–Tb(III)–(Phen)₁, display strong green luminescence, suggesting that the triplet state energy level of SCA is higher and is well matched with the resonant energy level of Tb(III).     

Synthesis, crystal structure and photophysical properties of europium(III) and terbium(III) complexes with pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide

The reactions of pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide with europium(III) and terbium(III) triflates led to the formation of mononuclear complexes of formula [Ln(pcam)₃](CF₃SO₃)₃ (Ln = Eu 1, Tb 2; pcam stands for pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide). From single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, the complexes were found to be isomorphous and isostructural. The [Ln(pcam)₃]³⁺ cations and triflate counterions are connected by intermolecular hydrogen bonds, resulting in a 3D network structure. Both the europium(III) and terbium(III) complexes exhibit efficient ligand sensitized luminescence in the visible region with lifetimes of 1.9 ms and 2.2 ms, respectively, in the solid state.     

Luminescence enhancement of terbium(III) perchlorate by 2,2′‐dipyridyl on bis(benzylsulfinyl)methane complex and luminescence mechanism

A novel ternary complex, Tb₂L₄·L′·(ClO₄)₆·8H₂O, has been synthesized using bis(benzylsulfinyl)methane as the first ligand L and 2,2′‐dipyridyl as the second ligand L′. The ternary complex was characterized by element analysis, molar conductivity, coordination titration analysis, infrared, thermogravimetric‐differential scanning calorimetric and ultraviolet spectra. The results indicated that the composition of the complex was Tb₂L₄·L′·(ClO₄)₆·8H₂O (L = C₆H₅CH₂SOCH₂SOCH₂C₆H₅; L′ = Dipy). Fourier transform infrared results revealed that the perchlorate group was bonded with the Tb(III) ion by the oxygen atom, and the coordination was bidentate. The fluorescent spectra illustrated that the complex displayed characteristic fluorescence in the solid state. After the introduction of the second ligand, 2,2‐dipyridyl, the relative emission intensity and fluorescence lifetime of the ternary complex Tb₂L₄·L′·(ClO₄)₆·8H₂O were enhanced compared to the binary complex TbL_2.5(ClO₄)₃·3H₂O. This indicated that the presence of both organic ligand bis(benzylsulfinyl)methane and the second ligand 2,2‐dipyridyl could sensitize the fluorescence intensity of Tb(III) ion, and introduction of the 2,2‐dipyridyl group resulted in an enhancement of the fluorescence of the Tb(III) ternary rare earth complex. The strongest characteristic fluorescence emission intensity of the ternary complex was 9.36 times that of the binary complex. The phosphorescence spectra and fluorescence lifetime of the complex were also measured. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Terbium(III) luminescence study of the spatial relationship of tryptophan residues to the two metal ion binding sites of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase.

The luminescence of Tb(III) was used to explore the topography of the metal ion sites of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase and the relationship between these sites and tryptophan residues of the enzyme. By irradiation of tryptophan residues at 295 nm and measurement of the resulting Tb(III) luminescence at 544 nm, a biphasic curve was obtained upon titrating apoenzyme with Tb(III) indicating sequential binding of Tb(III) ions to the two binding sites of glutamine synthetase. The luminescence intensity was greater in the second region of the titration curve which is mostly due to energy transfer from Trp-158 to the second Tb(III) binding site of the enzyme. By use of the F?rster equation for energy transfer from donor Trp to acceptor Tb(III), distances from Trp-57 to Tb(III) at the n1 and n2 sites were calculated, by using a mutant enzyme in which Trp-158 was replaced by Ser, to be 16.4 and 15.7 A, respectively; distances from Trp-158 to Tb(III) at the n1 and n2 sites were calculated, by using a mutant enzyme in which Trp-57 was replaced by Leu, to be 16.8 and 9.5 A, respectively. All the distances are in reasonably good agreement with the crystal structure distances from Salmonella typhimurium glutamine synthetase except the distance from Trp-158 to the second Tb(III) binding site. The discrepancies may result from a slightly different conformation of glutamine synthetase in solution and in the crystal and/or a slightly different conformation for trivalent Ln(III) binding compared to divalent Mn(II) binding.     

Evaluation of parent and nano-encapsulated terbium(III) complex toward its photoluminescence properties,FS-DNA,BSA binding affinity,and biological applications

BackgroundThere is a crucial need for finding and developing new compounds as the anticancer and antimicrobial agents with better activity, specific target, and less toxic side effects.ObjectivesBase on the potential anticancer properties of lanthanide complexes, in the paper, the biological applications of terbium (Tb) complex, containing 2,9-dimethyl- 1,10-phenanthroline (Me₂Phen) such as anticancer, antimicrobial, DNA cleavage ability, the interaction with FS-DNA (Fish-Salmon DNA) and BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) was examined.MethodsThe interaction of Tb-complex with BSA and DNA was studied by emission spectroscopy, absorption titration, viscosity measurement, CD spectroscopy, competitive experiments, and docking calculation. Also, the ability of this complex to cleave DNA was reported by gel electrophoresis. Tb-complex was concurrently screened for its antibacterial activities by different methods. Besides, the nanocarriers of Tb-complex (lipid nanoencapsulation (LNEP) and the starch nanoencapsulation (SNEP)), as active anticancer candidates, were prepared. MTT technique was applied to measure the antitumor properties of these compounds on human cancer cell lines.ResultsThe experimental and docking results suggest significant binding between DNA as well as BSA with terbium-complex. Besides, groove binding plays the main role in the binding of this compound with DNA and BSA. The competitive experiment with hemin demonstrated that the terbium complex was bound at site III of BSA, which was confirmed by the docking study. Also, Tb-complex was concurrently screened for its DNA cleavage, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. The anticancer properties of LNEP and SNEP are more than the terbium compound.ConclusionsTb-complex can bond to DNA/BSA with high binding affinity. Base on biological applications of Tb-complex, it can be concluded that this complex and its nanocarriers can suggest as novel anticancer, antimicrobial candidates.     

Estimation of inter-binding-site distances in sarcoplasmic reticulum (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase using Eu(III) luminescence energy transfer

We have used several trivalent lanthanides as probes for the high-affinity Ca(II)-binding site of the Ca(II) + Mg(II)-ATPase of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. The luminescent probes Eu(III) and Tb(III) were excited directly with pulsed laser light and the energy transfer efficiencies to several lanthanide acceptors were measured, under conditions in which most donor-acceptor pair occupied high-affinity Ca(II) sites. We obtain an inter-ionic site distance of about 0.8-0.9 nm. Energy transfer measurements were also done with Eu(III) in at least one Ca(II) site and bidentate Cr-ATP complex at the ATP hydrolytic site. Quenching of Eu(III) luminescence by Cr-ATP was total under these conditions. We calculate an upper limit of 1.0 nm for the distance from the Ca(II) site(s) to the complexed Cr(III) ion at the hydrolytic site.     

Consequences of terbium (111) binding on the conformation and enzymatic activity of Guinea pig liver transglutaminase

Calcium ions are crucial for expression of transglutaminase activity. Although lanthanides have been reported to substitute for calcium in a variety of protein functions, they did not replace the calcium requirement during transglutaminase activity measurements. Furthermore, lanthanides strongly inhibited purified liver transglutaminase activity using either casein or fibrinogen as substrates. Terbium (III) inhibition of transglutaminase-catalyzed putrescine incorporation into casein was not reversed by the presence of 10–200 fold molar excess of calcium ions (Ki for Tb(III)=60 µM). Conformational changes in purified liver transglutaminase upon Tb(III) binding were evident from a biphasic effect of Tb(III) on transglutaminase binding to fibrin. Low concentrations of Tb(III) (1 µM to 10 µM inhibited the binding of transglutaminase to fibrin, whereas higher concentrations (20 µM to 100 µM promoted binding. Conformational changes in purified liver transglutaminase consequent to Tb(III) binding were also demonstrated by fluorescence spectroscopy due to Forster energy transfer. Fluorescence emission was stable to the presence of 200 mM NaCl and 100 mM CaCl₂ only partially quenched emission. Purified liver transglutaminase strongly bound to Tb(III)-Chelating Sepharose beads and binding could not be disrupted by 100 mM CaCl₂ solution. Our data suggest that Tb(III)-induced conformational changes in transglutaminase are responsible for the observed effects on enzyme structure and function. The potential applications of Tb(III)-transglutaminase interactions in elucidating the structure-function relationships of liver transglutaminase are discussed.