Interaction of rabbit hemopexin with rose bengal and photooxidation of the rose bengal-hemopexin complex.

Rabbit hemopexin associates with rose bengal producing a hypochromic shift in the absorption spectrum of the dye; the extinction coefficient of the dye bound to heme-saturated hemopexin is approximately 20% lower than that of the dye bound to the apoprotein. The interaction of apo- and heme-saturated hemopexin with rose bengal was studied in detail by difference spectroscopy. Apo-hemopexin has one tight binding site for the dye with a dissociation constant in the micromolar range and a set of several weaker binding sites. In contrast, heme-saturated hemopexin has a very low affinity for the dye. Evidence that histidine residues of hemopexin participate in the binding of heme was obtained by photooxidation of hemopexin sensitized by rose bengal. Progressive modification of the 16 histidine residues of hemopexin is effected by illumination of the dye-hemopexin complexes. The midpoint of this pH-dependent reaction is at pH 6.8 +/- 0.1. In 15 min of irradiation, apo-hemopexin loses 50% of its ability to form a low spin hemichrome complex with deuteroheme while only 10% of the ligand coordination to heme iron of the deuteroheme-hemopexin is lost. At that time, approximately 2 more histidine residues are modified in apo-hemopexin than in deuteroheme-hemopexin, and no change is found in other potentially photolabile amino acid residues. The characteristic circular dichroism positive extremum at 231 nm of hemopexin also was decreased by photooxidation, and the loss was slower in the deuteroheme-hemopexin complex than in the apoprotein. When deuteroporphyrin IX was used as the photosensitizing agent, similar results were obtained.     

The aromatic and heme chromophores of rabbit hemopexin. Difference absorption and fluorescence spectra.

Spectrophotometric and fluorimetric techniques were employed to charcterize the environment of the heme chromophore of rabbit hemopexin and to monitor changes in the environment of aromatic amino acid residues induced by the interaction of hemopexin with porphyrins and metalloporphyrins. Difference spectra showed maxima at 292 and 285 nm when hemopexin binds heme or deuteroheme but not deuteroporphyrin. These maxima are attributed to alterations in the local environment of tryptophan and tyrosine residues. Spectro-photometric titrations of the tyrosine residues of hemopexin, heme-hemopexin and hemopexin in 8 M urea showed apparent pK values at 11.4, 11.7, and 10.9 respectively. Perturbation difference spectra produced by 20% v/v ethylene glycol are consistent with the exposure of 6-8 of the 14 tyrosine residues and 6-8 of the 15 tryptophan residues of rabbit hemopexin to this perturbant. Only small differences were found between the perturbation spectra of apo- and heme-hemopexin near 290 nm, suggesting that slight or compensating changes in the exposure to solvent of tryptophan chromophores occur. In the Soret spectral region, the exposure of heme in the heme-hemopexin complex to ethylene glycol was 0.7, relative to the fully exposed heme peptide of cytochrome c. The fluorescence quantum yields of rabbit apo- and heme-hemopexin were estimated to be 0.06 and 0.03, respectively, compared to a yield of 0.13 for L-tryptophan. Iodide quenched 50% of the fluorescence of the deuteroheme-hemopexin complex. Cesium was not an effective quencher. Modification of approximately, 4 tryptophan residues with N-bromosuccinimide also decreased the relative fluorescence of apo-hemopexin by 50% and concomitantly reduced the heme-binding ability of the protein by 70%. The existence of sterically unhindered tryptophan residues in either apo- heme-hemopexin is unlikely since no charge transfer compelxes between these proteins and N-methylnicotinamide were detected.     

NADPH- and NADH-nitrate reductases from soybean leaves.

Treatment of rabbit hemopexin with bromoacetic acid (BrAc) or with diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP) modified histidine residues and produced a concomitant decrease in the protein's ability to form a low-spin hemichrome complex with deuteroheme (ferrideuteroporphyrin IX). Deuteroheme bound to hemopexin before treatment decreased the extent of inactivation by either reagent. After exposure of deuteroheme-hemopexin to 0.16 m BrAc at pH 6.9 for 120 h, 10–11 of the 16 histidine residues of hemopexin were carboxymethylated, but 90–95% of the deuteroheme-hemopexin complex remained intact. Under the same conditions, 12 histidine residues of apo-hemopexin were carboxymethylated, and 95% of the protein's ability to form its normal hemichrome complex with heme (ferriprotoporphyrin IX) was abolished. The alkylated apo-protein, however, did retain a potential to interact with deuteroheme. The apparent dissociation constants for the complexes of metal-free deuteroporphyrin and deuteroheme with BrAc-treated apo-hemopexin were both about 10^?6m and nearly equal to that of the native deuteroporphyrin-hemopexin complex, as assessed by quenching of tryptophan fluorescence.Approximately 10 histidyl residues of the deuteroheme-hemopexin complex, but only about 4 residues of the apo-protein, were modified by DEP before heme-binding was appreciably affected. The effects of DEP on hemopexin were reversed by hydroxylamine at neutral pH, indicating that ethoxyformylation of histidine residues caused the observed inactivation of hemopexin. This and the results of BrAc treatment suggest that hemopexin contains several easily accessible histidine residues which are not critical for its interaction with heme.The conformation-sensitive positive ellipticity at 231 nm of hemopexin was affected by carboxymethylation and ethoxyformylation. Treatment with BrAc had only a small effect on the intrinsic ellipticity of apo-hemopexin, but eliminated the increase in ellipticity produced by interaction of unmodified hemopexin with heme. Treatment with DEP, on the other hand, decreased both intrinsic and extrinsic ellipticity.These results provide further evidence that the heme-hemopexin complex involves histidyl-heme iron coordination. In addition, they show that formation of the histidyl-heme complex not only greatly enhances the strength of the heme-hemopexin interaction but also is important for triggering conformational changes in the protein.     

Metallocytochromes c: characterization of electronic absorption and emission spectra of Sn4+ and Zn2+ cytochromes c.

Tin (Sn4+) and zinc (Zn2+) derivatives of horse heart cytochrome c have been prepared and their optical spectra have been characterized. Zinc cytochrome c has visible absorption maxima at 549 and 585 nm and Soret absorption at 423 nm. Tin cytochrome c shows visible absorption maxima at 536 and 574 nm and Soret absorption at 410 nm. Unlike iron cytochrome c in which the emission spectrum of the porphyrin is almost completely quenched by the central metal, the zinc and tin derivatives of cytochrome c are both fluorescent and phosphorescent. The fluorescence maxima of zinc cytochrome c are at 590 and 640 nm and the fluorescence lifetime is 3.2 ns. The fluorescence maxima of Sn cytochrome are at 580 and 636 nm and the fluorescence lifetime is under 1 ns. The quantum yield of fluorescence is Zn greater than Sn while the quantum yield of phosphorescence is Sn greater than Zn. at 77 K the fluorescence and phosphorescence emission spectra of Sn and Zn cytochrome c show evidence of resolution into vibrational bands. The best resolved bands occur at frequency differences 750 cm-1 and 1540--1550 cm-1 from the O-O transition. These frequencies correspond with those obtained by resonance Raman spectroscopy for in-plane deformations of the porphyrin macrocycle.     

Light-induced red shift of the Qx absorption band of light-harvesting bacteriochlorophyll in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata and Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides

In chromatophores from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides and Rhodopseudomonas capsulata, the Q_x band(s) of the light-harvesting bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) (λ_max ~590 nm) shifts to the red in response to a light-induced membrane potential, as indicated by the characteristics of the light-minus-dark difference spectrum. In green strains, containing light-harvesting complexes I and II, and one or more of neurosporene, methoxyneurosporene, and hydroxyneurosporene as carotenoids, the absorption changes due to the BChl and carotenoid responses to membrane potential in the spectral region 540–610 nm are comparable in magnitude and overlap with cytochrome and reaction center absorption changes in coupled chromatophores. In strains lacking carotenoid and light-harvesting complex II, the BChl shift absorption change is relatively smaller, due in part to the lower BChl/reaction center ratio.In the carotenoid-containing strains, the peak-to-trough absorption change in the BChl difference spectrum is 5–8% of the peak-to-trough change due to the shift of the longest-wavelength carotenoid band, although the absorption of the BChl band is 25–40% of that of the carotenoid band. The responding BChl band(s) does not appear to be significantly red-shifted in the dark in comparison to the total BChl Q_x band absorption.     

A cobalt containing protein isolated from Desulfovibrio gigas, a sulfate reducer

A protein which contains a cobalt porphyrin was isolated from the sulfate reducer Desulfovibrio gigas. This protein has a molecular weight of approximately 16,700 daltons and is acidic, having an iso-electric point at 3.7. The N-terminal residue was shown to be threonine, and a cobalt analysis gave 0.8 cobalt atoms/molecule, suggesting the presence of a single prosthetic group. The protein has a violet color with absorption bands typical of a metal porphyrin center with maxima at 420 nm, 580 nm with a shoulder at 550 nm. The ratio $\text{A}{}_{420}\text{(γ)}\text{A}{}_{588}\text{(α)}$ is 2.1. The protein has no electron paramagnetic resonance (e.p.r.) spectrum, and as the visible spectrum suggests, it probably contains diamagnetic Co^III porphyrin. However the cobalt centre appears to be protected from reduction by sodium dithionite or sodium borohydride. Att$\text{e}$mpts at ligand substitution with strong nucleophiles such as CN, causes a slight spectral shift to higher wavelenghts. The cobalt porphyrin can be extracted from the protein with an acidified acetone solution, indicating that it is not covalently bound to the protein.     

Effect of hemopexin on the efflux of metalloporphyrin from isolated rat liver mitochondria

When rat liver mitochondria were incubated with ⁵⁷Co²⁺ and deuteroporphyrin (or protoporphyrin) the efflux of metalloporphyrin was markedly increased when hemopexin was included. The effect of hemopexin could be abolished by adding hemin, or in part by high concentrations of K⁺. Globin behaved essentially as hemopexin. The results could not be ascribed to the removal of metalloporphyrin from de-energized, leaky mitochondria. The results are strong evidence for a protein-facilitated transport of metalloporphyrin from the mitochondria to the cytosol.     

Hepatic subcellular metabolism of heme from heme-hemopexin: incorporation of iron into ferritin

The subcellular distribution and metabolic fate of [⁵⁹Fe]heme-[¹²⁵I]-labeled hemopexin after receptor-mediated interaction with the liver was examined in the rat. After intravenous injection, [⁵⁹Fe]heme from the complex and ⁵⁹Fe from hepatic catabolism of this heme accumulate in the liver and undergo changes in their subcellular distribution over 2 hours. The amounts of [⁵⁹Fe]heme and particularly of ⁵⁹Fe increase in the cytosol while remaining constant or decreasing in membranous fractions. In contrast, [¹²⁵I]-labeled hemopexin associated with the liver during heme transport is always a small fraction of the dose and is not measurably catabolized under these conditions.Gel filtration of the cytosol showed that ⁵⁹Fe increased linearly with time in a high molecular weight fraction which was identified immunologically as ferritin. We conclude that heme transported by hemopexin is metabolized by the liver and the iron conserved.     

Gangliosides mediate association of tetanus toxin with neural cells in culture

The effects of human serum albumin (HSA) on the rate of dithionite reduction of iron(III)deuteroporphyrin (iron(III)Dp) have been investigated in order to further characterize the porphyrin binding site and the changes manifested in this site under various conditions. These studies were performed under pseudo-first-order conditions, and in the presence of carbon monoxide as a "trapping agent" for the reduced iron(II)porphyrin. The rate of reduction of the free iron(III)Dp in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 follows second-order kinetics with a rate constant (4.2 X 10(9) M-1 s-1) suggestive of a diffusion-controlled process. A six-orders of magnitude decrease in the rate of reduction was observed with iron(III)Dp was complexed with HSA. This result is consistent with HSA-bound porphyrin being less accessible to the aqueous environment. Additional studies demonstrated that both pH and anions induce various alterations in the complex that are reflected in the rate of reduction of iron(III)porphyrin.     

Tris-ruthenium(II)/copper(II) multimetallic porphyrin: Synthesis, characterization, DNA binding and supercoiled DNA photocleavage studies

The porphyrin, meso-5-(pentafluorophenyl)-10, 15, 20-tris(4-pyridyl)porphyrin has been used to synthesize two new metalloporphyrin complexes. Insertion of copper(II) into the porphyrin center gives the copper(II) porphyrin. Coordination of three [Ru(bipy)₂Cl]⁺ moieties (where bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) to the pyridyl nitrogens of the copper(II) porphyrin gives the target complex. Electronic transitions associated with the copper(II) porphyrin and the triruthenium copper(II) porphyrin include an intense Soret band and a less intense Q-band in the visible region of the spectrum. An intense π-π∗ transition in the UV region associated with the bipyridyl groups and a metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) band appearing as a shoulder to the Soret band are observed for the ruthenated copper(II) porphyrin. Electrochemical properties associated with the multimetallic complex include a redox couple in the cathodic region with E_1/2 = −0.86 V versus Ag/AgCl attributed to the porphyrin and a redox couple in the anodic region E_1/2 = 0.88 V versus Ag/AgCl due to the Ru^III/II couple. DNA titrations indicate the triruthenium copper(II) porphyrin interacts with DNA potentially through a groove binding mechanism. Irradiation of aqueous solutions of the target complex and supercoiled DNA at a 10:1 base pair to complex ratio with visible light above 400 nm indicates that the complex causes nicking of the DNA helix.     

Light-induced blue shift of the carotenoid spectrum in chromatophores of Chromatium vinosum strain D

In Chromatium chromatophores, the response of part of the carotenoid complement to a light-induced membrane potential is a shift to the blue of its absorption spectrum, as indicated by the characteristics of the light-minus-dark difference spectrum. The spectrum in the dark of the population of carotenoid which responds to a light-induced membrane potential is located at least 1–2 nm to the red in comparison to the total carotenoid absorption. The results indicate that the proposed permanent electric field affecting the responding population has a polarity with respect to the chromatophore membrane opposite to that in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides chromatophores. The carotenoid absorption change interferes seriously with measurements of cytochrome c-555 redox changes at its α band.     

Mechanistic insight into the initiation step of the reaction of Burkholderia pseudomallei catalase-peroxidase with peroxyacetic acid

The reaction of the catalase-peroxidase of Burkholderia pseudomallei with peroxyacetic acid has been analyzed using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. Two well-defined species were observed, the first defined by an increase in intensity and narrowing of the Soret band at 407 nm and a 10-nm shift of the charge transfer band from 635 to 625 nm. These features are consistent with a ferric spectrum with a greater proportion of sixth-coordination character and are assigned to an Fe^III–peroxyacetic acid complex. Complementary 9-GHz EPR characterization of the changes in the ferric signal of the resting enzyme induced by the binding of acetate in the heme pocket substantiates the proposal. Kinetic analysis of the spectral changes as a function of peroxyacetic acid concentration revealed two independent peroxyacetic acid binding events, one coincident with formation of the Fe^III–peroxyacetic acid complex and the other coincident with the heme oxidation to the subsequent ferryl intermediate. A model to explain the need for two peroxyacetic acid binding events is proposed. The reaction of the W330F variant followed similar kinetics, although the characteristic spectral features of the Fe^IV=O Por^•+ species were detected. The variant D141A lacking an aspartate at the entrance to the heme cavity as well as the R108A and D141A/R108A variants showed no evidence for the Fe^III–peroxyacetic acid complex, only the formation of ferryl species with absorbance maxima at 414, 545, and 585 nm. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Synthesis and properties of a fluorescent derivative of phosphatidylcholine

1-acyl-2-(N-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole)-aminocaproyl phosphatidyl choline, (NBD-PC) was prepared by alkylation of ?-amino caproic acid with 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-C1), followed by esterification of lysophosphatidylcholine. The compound was purified by silicic acid chromatography, and exhibited a single spot on thin layer chromatography using acidic, basic and neutral solvent systems, when visualized by UV, molybdate spray, primuline, or charring. The UV-visible absorption spectrum, and the uncorrected fluorescence excitation spectrum of NBD-PC in absolute ethanol showed maxima at approximately 340 and 460 nm, while the fluorescence emission spectrum showed a single peak at 525 nm. Fluorescence intensity and emission maximum wavelength of NBD-PC are strongly dependent on solvent dielectric constant, and the relative fluorescent intensity of NBD-PC in absolute ethanol is directly proportional to its concentration from 1 ng/ml to approximately 3 μg/ml. Incorporation of NBD-PC into membranes of human lymphocytes cultures in the presence or absence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) resulted in a marked increase in the relative fluorescent intensity of the bound fluorochrome, and a 15 nm blue shift in its emission maximum wavelength. Fluorescence titration data indicate that the unstimulated lymphocytes bound 912 pmoles NBD-PC/mg protein with an association constant of 3.45 × 10⁷ M, while the PHA stimulated cells bound 1200 pmoles NBD-PC/mg protein with an association constant of 2.82 × 10⁷ M. The temperature dependence of the fluorescent intensity of NBD-PC incorporated in control, and PHA stimulated lymphocytes showed discontinuities at 15 and 24 °C respectively. Fluorescence polarization of NBD-PC incorporated in the membranes of stimulated lymphocytes was greater than the polarization of the fluorochrome in non-stimulated cells, suggesting that the plasma membranes of PHA stimulated lymphocytes contain regions of higher microviscosity.     

Analysis of absorption spectra of purple bacterial reaction centers in the near infrared region by higher order derivative spectroscopy

Reaction centers (RCs) of purple bacteria are uniquely suited objects to study the mechanisms of the photosynthetic conversion of light energy into chemical energy. A recently introduced method of higher order derivative spectroscopy [I.K. Mikhailyuk, H. Lokstein, A.P. Razjivin, A method of spectral subband decomposition by simultaneous fitting the initial spectrum and a set of its derivatives, J. Biochem. Biophys. Methods 63 (2005) 10-23] was used to analyze the NIR absorption spectra of RC preparations from Rhodobacter (R.) sphaeroides strain 2R and Blastochloris (B.) viridis strain KH, containing bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a and b, respectively. Q(y) bands of individual RC porphyrin components (BChls and bacteriopheophytins, BPheo) were identified. The results indicate that the upper exciton level P(y+) of the photo-active BChl dimer in RCs of R. sphaeroides has an absorption maximum of 810nm. The blue shift of a complex integral band at approximately 800nm upon oxidation of the RC is caused primarily by bleaching of P(y+), rather than by an electrochromic shift of the absorption band(s) of the monomeric BChls. Likewise, the disappearance of a band peaking at 842nm upon oxidation of RCs from B. viridis indicates that this band has to be assigned to P(y+). A blue shift of an absorption band at approximately 830nm upon oxidation of RCs of B. viridis is also essentially caused by the disappearance of P(y+), rather than by an electrochromic shift of the absorption bands of monomeric BChls. Absorption maxima of the monomeric BChls, B(B) and B(A) are at 802 and 797nm, respectively, in RCs of R. sphaeroides at room temperature. BPheo co-factors H(B) and H(A) peak at 748 and 758nm, respectively, at room temperature. For B. viridis RCs the spectral positions of H(B) and H(A) were found to be 796 and 816nm, respectively, at room temperature.     

Electrochemistry and spectroscopy of sulfate and thiosulfate complexes of iron porphyrins

The electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of the complex formed by the addition of thiosulfate to ferric porphyrins were examined. The NMR spectrum of the thiosulfate-ferric porphyrin complex was consistent with a high-spin ferric complex, while the EPR spectrum at liquid nitrogen temperatures indicated that the complex under these conditions was low-spin. Such behavior has been previously observed for other ferric porphyrin complexes. The visible spectra were characterized by a shift in the Soret band to higher energies, with smaller changes in the longer wavelength region. The complex was reasonably stable in DMF, but slowly reduced over several hours to Fe^II(TPP) and S₄O₆ ²⁻. The voltammetric behavior of the thiosulfate complex in DMF consists of two waves, the first of which was irreversible. The ferric/ferrous reduction in the presence of thiosulfate was shifted negatively about 400 mV, compared to the Fe(TPP)(Cl) reduction. The visible, NMR and EPR spectra were most consistent with a Fe-S bonded ferric porphyrin-thiosulfate complex, Fe(P)(SSO₃)⁻. The kinetics of the reduction of ferric porphyrin by thiosulfate in DMSO indicated an autocatalytic mechanism, where the first step is the formation of the catalyst. The identity of the catalyst could not be determined because it must be present at low concentrations, but it is formed from the reaction of the ferric complex with thiosulfate. Coordination of thiosulfate to the porphyrin was not necessary for the reduction to occur, and the reduction of Fe(TPP)(Cl) by thiosulfate was accelerated by the addition of sulfate. Under these conditions, sulfate had replaced thiosulfate as the axial ligand for the ferric porphyrin. In the presence of sulfate, the reduction occurred in a single kinetic pseudo-first order step.     

Effect of bovine growth hormone on rat liver plasma membranes as studied by circular dichroism and fluorescence using the extrinsic probe 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene

Conformational changes produced by in vitro bovine growth hormone addition to plasma membranes of hypophysectomized rat liver proteins and lipids have been studied by circular dichroism as well as intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence. 7,12-Dimethylbenzanthracene has been used as a fluorescent probe of changes in membrane structure. The exposure of membranes to bovine growth hormone produced a change in membrane negative ellipticity. Dimethylbenzanthracene at concentrations similar to those employed in fluorescence studies had no effect on the membrane circular dichroism spectrum. Its presence did, however, prevent a response to growth hormone. There was a decrease in peak fluorescence intensity and a peak shift when bovine growth hormone (0.5 · 10^?12 M) was added to liver membranes. The addition of dimethylbenzanthracene (1.6 · 10^?6 M) to membranes resulted in a decrease in the intensity of the protein fluorescence peak at 335 nm and the appearance of two peaks at 430 and 407 nm, assignable to the probe. The addition of bovine growth hormone (0.5 · 10^?12 M) produced a decrease in fluorescence at 335 nm and also in the peaks at 407 and 430 nm. These data are consistent with the conclusion that bovine growth hormone produces a conformational change in rat liver plasma membrane proteins and lipids.     

Purification of a cytochrome aa3 terminal oxidase from protoplast membrane vesicles of Micrococcus luteus

Abstract A cytochrome aa₃ terminal oxidase was isolated from protoplast membrane vesicles of Micrococcus luteus grown under aerobic conditions. The purified complex showed similarities to cytochrome c oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1) of the electron transport chain of mitochondria and many prokaryotes. The enzyme was solubilized by subsequent treatment with the detergents CHAPS and n-dodecyl-β-d-maltoside and purified by ion-exchange chromatography using poly-L-lysine agarose and TMAE-fractogel-650 (S) columns, followed by hydroxyapatite chromatography. The purified complex is composed of two major subunits with apparent molecular masses of 54 and 32 kDa. After purification the isolated enzyme contains 12.1 nmol of heme A (mg protein)⁻¹ and exhibits absorption maxima at 424 nm and 598 nm in the oxidized state and at 442 nm and 599 nm in the reduced state. The CO-difference spectrum shows peaks at 428 and 590 nm which is indicative of heme a ₃, furthermore oxygen consumption was found to be sensitive to cyanide.     

Bi‐modal sensitivity to monochromatic light by the mud snail Ilyanassa obsoleta †

Under laboratory conditions the mud snail Ilyanassa obsoleta exhibits a pronounced positive behavioral response to monochromatic light. The response spectrum for‐this positive phototaxis has maxima at 480 nm and 560–580 nm. The threshold intensities for this response are 2.06 x 10^‐7 /μW/cm² for 480 nm and 2.18 × 10^‐7 μW/cm² for 580 nm. These results are suggestive of Ilyanassa's possessing two visual pigments with different absorption maxima.     

Interactions of steroids with human placental cytochrome P-450 in the presence of carbon monoxide.

Spectral analyses of the carbon monoxide (CO) complex of human placental microsomal cytochrome P-450 revealed absorption maxima at 426 and 450 nm when NADPH (2×10⁻⁴M) was utilized as a reducing agent. Additional NADPH or NADH did not produce any further increases in the absorption maximum at 450 nm. A period of 10–15 minutes was required for the complete reduction. Various steroids were added to both sample and reference cuvettes to examine their interactions with the CO-cytochrome P-450 complex. The resulting spectral changes indicated that low concentrations of steroids (≃10⁻⁷M) such as androstenedione, 19-hydroxyandrostenedione, 19-oxoandrostenedione and testosterone completely eliminated the absorbance maxima at 450 nm while 19-norandrostenedione, 19-nortestosterone, pregnenolone and benzo[a]-pyrene did not eliminate this peak. Since ample time was allowed to reduce the cytochrome P-450 with NADPH, the observed interaction of steroids with cytochrome P-450 in the presence of CO does not represent an effect on reductase activity, but on the formation of the CO-cytochrome P-450 complex.     

Tet repressor-tetracycline interaction

Previous studies [Wasylewskiet al. (1996),J. Protein Chem. 15, 45–58] have shown that the W43 residue localized within the helix-turn-helix structure domain of Tet repressor can exist in the ground state in two conformational states. In this paper we investigate the fluorescence properties of W43 of TetR upon binding of tetracycline inducer and its chemical analogs such as anhydro- and epitetracycline. Binding of the drug inducer to the protein indicates that the W43 residue still exists in two conformational states; however, its environment changes drastically, as can be judged by the changes in fluorescence parameters. The FQRS (fluorescence-quenching-resolved spectra) method was used to decompose the total emission spectrum. The resolved spectra exhibit maxima of fluorescence at 346 and 332 nm and the component quenchable by KI (346 nm) is shifted 9 nm toward the blue side of the spectrum upon inducer binding. The observed shift does not result from the changes in the exposure of W43, since the bimolecular quenching rate constant remains the same and is equal to about 2.7×10⁹M^–1sec^–1. The binding of tetracycline leads to drastic decrease of the W43 fluorescence intensity and increase of the tetracycline intensity as well as the decrease of fluorescence lifetime, especially of the W43 component characterized by the emission at 332 nm. The observed energy transfer from W43 to tetracycline is more efficient for the state characterized by the fluorescence emission at 332 nm (88%) than for the component quenchable by iodide (53%) Tetracycline and several of its derivatives were also used to observe how chemical modifications of the hydrophilic groups in tetracycline influence the mechanism of binding of the antibiotic to Tet repressor. By use of pulsed-laser photoacoustic spectroscopy it is shown that the binding of tetracyclines to Tet repressor leads to significant increase of tetracycline fluorescence quantum yields. Steady-state fluorescence quenching of tetracycline analogs in complexes with Tet repressor using potassium iodide as a quencher allowed us to determine the dependence of the exposure of bound antibiotic on the modifications of hydrophilic substituents of tetracycline. Circular dichroism studies of the TetR-[Mg · tc]⁺ complex do not indicate dramatic changes in the secondary structure of the protein; however, the observed small decrease in the TetR helicity may occur due to partial unfolding of the DNA recognition helix of the protein. The observed changes may play an important role in the process of induction in which tetracycline binding results in the loss of specific DNA binding.Abbreviations FQRS fluorescence-quenching-resolved spectra - HTH helix-turn-helix motif - tc tetracycline - TetR tetracycline repressor from Escherichia coli - TetR WT wild-type TetR - TetR W43 single point mutant with phenylalanine substituted for tryptophan at position 75 in both subunits