Rational design of genetically encoded singlet oxygen photosensitizing proteins

1. Download : Download high-res image (131KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Evidence of singlet oxygen participation in the chlorophyll-sensitized photooxidation of indoleacetic Acid

Chlorophyll-sensitized photooxidation of indoleacetic acid (IAA)—with chlorophyll extracted from Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska W.R.—was determined in the presence of deuterium oxide and known quenchers of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) to explore the involvement of ¹O₂ in the reaction. O₂ uptake was measured in light in a buffered aqueous micellar system containing Triton X-100, KCl, chlorophyll, and IAA. The rate of O₂ uptake was zero in darkness. The reaction was stimulated by deuterium oxide and inhibited by sodium azide indicating that ¹O₂ participated in IAA photooxidation. Both mannitol and superoxide dismutase failed to inhibit O₂ uptake suggesting that neither the hydroxyl radical nor the superoxide anion played a significant role in the reaction.     

ESR and optical absorption evidence for free radical involvement in the photosensitizing action of furocoumarin derivatives and for their singlet oxygen production.

Frozen aqueous solutions of thymine and its derivatives were irradiated with visible light (lambda greater than 320 nm) in the presence of various furocoumarins. ESR analysis revealed the induction of hydrogen adduct free radicals at C-6 position of thymine, only with those furocoumarin derivatives which show a skin-photosensitizing ability. It has been shown, moreover, that the photocycloaddition of psoralen to thymine, which is responsible for the biological effects of this dye, is inhibited when the induction of free radicals in thymine moiety has been prevented by electron scavengers. It is suggested that the free radicals observed could be involved in the biological photosensitization. The mechanism of free radical generation and singlet oxygen production by furoccoumarins were also investigated.     

Detection of singlet oxygen and its role in dye-sensitized photooxidation in aqueous and micellar solutions

Indirect methods for the detection of singlet oxygen in dye-sensitized photooxidation based on its interception by some singlet oxygen acceptors in aqueous and micellar solutions are discussed. Mechanistic aspects and some applications of a very sensitive method using p-nitrosodimethylaniline in the presence of imidazole (RNO + imidazole method) are also treated. The technique of competition kinetics with a singlet oxygen quencher N-3 which can serve for the determination of the role of singlet oxygen is discussed as well. Such competition with tryptophan and guanosine shows that these substrates react exclusively or predominantly via the singlet oxygen mechanism in the presence of hematoporphyrin as sensitizing dye.     

Formation of a diimino-imidazole nucleoside from 2'-deoxyguanosine by singlet oxygen generated by methylene blue photooxidation

Singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) is capable of inducing genotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. It has previously been reported that the reaction of (1)O(2) with 2'-deoxyguanosine, which is a major target of (1)O(2) among the DNA constituents, leads to formation of various oxidized products including 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine and spiroiminodihydantoin, amino-imidazolone and diamino-oxazolone nucleosides. In addition to these products, we report that a novel diimino-imidazole nucleoside, 2,5-diimino-4-[(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)amino]-2H,5H-imidazole (dD), is formed by reaction of 2'-deoxyguanosine with (1)O(2) generated by irradiation with visible light in the presence of methylene blue under aerobic conditions. Its identification is based on identical chromatographic and spectroscopic data with an authentic compound, which we recently isolated and characterised from the reaction mixture of 2'-deoxyguanosine with reagent HOCl and a myeloperoxidase-H(2)O(2)-Cl(-) system. The yield of dD was increased by D(2)O and decreased by azide. dD was not generated from 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine. These results indicate that dD is generated by (1)O(2) directly from 2'-deoxyguanosine, but not via 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine. dD may play a role in the genotoxicity of singlet oxygen in cells.     

Chilling-enhanced photooxidation : evidence for the role of singlet oxygen and superoxide in the breakdown of pigments and endogenous antioxidants

Chilling temperatures (5°C) and high irradiance (1000 microeinsteins per square meter per second) were used to induce photooxidation in detached leaves of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), a chilling-sensitive plant. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, β carotene, and three xanthophylls were degraded in a light-dependent fashion at essentially the same rate. Lipid peroxidation (measured as ethane evolution) showed an O₂ dependency. The levels of three endogenous antioxidants, ascorbate, reduced glutathione, and α tocopherol, all showed an irradiance-dependent decline. α-Tocopherol was the first antioxidant affected and appeared to be the only antioxidant that could be implicated in long-term protection of the photosynthetic pigments. Results from the application of antioxidants having relative selectivity for ¹O₂, O₂⁻, or OH indicated that both ¹O₂ and O₂⁻ were involved in the chilling- and light-induced lipid peroxidation which accompanied photooxidation. Application of D₂O (which enhances the lifetime of ¹O₂) corroborated these results. Chilling under high light produced no evidence of photooxidative damage in detached leaves of chilling-resistant pea (Pisum sativum L.). Our results suggest a fundamental difference in the ability of pea to reduce the destructive effects of free-radical and ¹O₂ production in chloroplasts during chilling in high light.     

Characterization of carotenoid and chlorophyll photooxidation in photosystem II

Photosystem II (PSII) contains two accessory chlorophylls (Chl(Z), ligated to D1-His118, and Chl(D), ligated to D2-His117), carotenoid (Car), and heme (cytochrome b(559)) cofactors that function as alternate electron donors under conditions in which the primary electron-donation pathway from the O(2)-evolving complex to P680(+) is inhibited. The photooxidation of the redox-active accessory chlorophylls and Car has been characterized by near-infrared (near-IR) absorbance, shifted-excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy over a range of cryogenic temperatures from 6 to 120 K in both Synechocystis PSII core complexes and spinach PSII membranes. The following key observations were made: (1) only one Chl(+) near-IR band is observed at 814 nm in Synechocystis PSII core complexes, which is assigned to Chl(Z)(+) based on previous spectroscopic studies of the D1-H118Q and D2-H117Q mutants [Stewart, D. H., Cua, A., Chisholm, D. A., Diner, B. A., Bocian, D. F., and Brudvig, G. W. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 10040-10046]; (2) two Chl(+) near-IR bands are observed at 817 and 850 nm in spinach PSII membranes which are formed with variable relative yields depending on the illumination temperature and are assigned to Chl(Z)(+), and Chl(D)(+), respectively; (3) the Chl and Car cation radicals have significantly different stabilities at reduced temperatures with Car(+) decaying much faster; (4) in Synechocystis PSII core complexes, Car(+) decays by recombination with Q(A)(-) and not by Chl(Z)/Chl(D) oxidation, with multiphasic kinetics that are attributed to an ensemble of protein conformers that are trapped as the protein is frozen; and (5) in spinach PSII membranes, Car(+) decays mainly by recombination with Q(A)(-), but also partly by formation of the 850 nm Chl cation radical. The greater stability of Chl(Z)(+) at low temperatures enabled us to confirm that resonance Raman bands previously assigned to Chl(Z)(+) are correctly assigned. In addition, the formation and decay of these cations provide insight into the alternate electron-donation pathways to P680(+).     

Vasoactive intestinal peptide, a singlet oxygen quencher

The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a highly basic 28-amino acid peptide, has a widespread distribution in the body. The functional specificity of this peptide not only includes its potent vasodilatory activity, but also its role in protecting lungs against acute injury, in preventing T-lymphocyte proliferation and in modulating immune function. We have investigated the possible antioxidant properties of VIP and found that VIP does not have significant O2-, OH., or H2O2 scavenging ability. However, VIP was found to inhibit, in a dose-dependent manner, the 1O2-dependent 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine N-oxyl (TEMPO) formation. 1O2 was produced in photosensitizing systems using rose bengal or methylene blue as sensitizers and was detected as TEMP-1O2 product (TEMPO) by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic techniques. The formation of TEMPO signal was strongly inhibited by known singlet quenchers, e.g. beta-carotene, histidine as well as azide, but not by catalase (20 micrograms/ml) which removes H2O2 and mannitol (6 mM) or ethanol (5.9 mM) which remove OH.. Superoxide dismutase (2.5 micrograms/ml) inhibited the photoreaction up to 20% by removing O2- and most probably by blocking the secondary charge transfer pathway of 1O2 formation. These results suggest that the formation of nitroxide radical by 1O2 attack on TEMP may be used as a simple and specific assay for 1O2, and VIP can serve as an effective 1O2 scavenger/quencher, thus it may modulate the oxidative tissue injury caused by this reactive species of oxygen.     

Chilling-enhanced photooxidation: The production,action and study of reactive oxygen species produced during chilling in the light

Chilling-enhanced photooxidation is the light- and oxygen-dependent bleaching of photosynthetic pigments that occurs upon the exposure of chilling-sensitive plants to temperatures below approximately 10 °C. The oxidants responsible for the bleaching are the reactive oxygen species (ROS) singlet oxygen (¹O₂), superoxide anion radical (O ₂ ,hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), the hydroxyl radical (OH·), and the monodehydroascorbate radical (MDA) which are generated by a leakage of absorbed light energy from the photosynthetic electron transport chain. Cold temperatures slow the energy-consuming Calvin-Benson Cycle enzymes more than the energy-transducing light reactions, thus causing leakage of energy to oxygen. ROS and MDA are removed, in part, by the action of antioxidant enzymes of the Halliwell/Foyer/Asada Cycle. Chloroplasts also contain high levels of both lipid- and water-soluble antioxidants that act alone or in concert with the HFA Cycle enzymes to scavenge ROS. The ability of chilling-resistant plants to maintain active HFA Cycle enzymes and adequate levels of antioxidants in the cold and light contributes to their ability to resist chilling-enhanced photooxidation. The absence of this ability in chilling-sensitive species makes them susceptible to chilling-enhanced photooxidation. Chloroplasts may reduce the generation of ROS by dissipating the absorbed energy through a number of quenching mechanisms involving zeaxanthin formation, state changes and the increased usage of reducing equivalents by other anabolic pathways found in the stroma. During chilling in the light, ROS produced in chilling-sensitive plants lower the redox potential of the chloroplast stroma to such a degree that reductively-activated regulatory enzymes of the Calvin Cycle, sedohepulose 1,7 bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.37) and fructose 1,6 bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11), are oxidatively inhibited. This inhibition is reversible in vitro with a DTT treatment indicating that the enzymes themselves are not permanently damaged. The inhibition of SBPase and FBPase may fully explain the inhibition in whole leaf gas exchange seen upon the rewarming of chilling-sensitive plants chilled in the light. Methods for the study of ROS in chilling-enhanced photooxidation and challenges for the future are discussed.Abbreviations ASP ascorbate-specific peroxidase - -TH reduced -tocopherol - DTT dithiothreitol - FBP fructose 1,6 bisphosphate - FBPase fructose 1,6 bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) - HFA Cycle the Halliwell/Foyer/Asada Cycle responsible for the enzymatic removal of ROS in the chloroplast stroma - MDA monodehydroascorbate radical - MDAR monodehydroascorbate reductase - ROS reactive oxygen species - SBP sedohepulose 1,7 bisphosphate - SBPase sedohepulose 1,7 bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.37) - SOD superoxide dismutase     

Participation of oxygen in the reduction of methylviologen, photosensitized by chlorophyll, in an aqueous solution of detergent]

Dependence of chlorophyll "a" photosensitized reduction of methylviologene with tiourea on the temperature of reaction mixture was studied in aerobic conditions in triton X-100 aqueous solution. It was found that the reaction consisted of two stages: the light and dark ones. Photosensitized oxidation of tiourea with air oxygen proceeds at the temperatures up to -70 degrees C. Reduction of methylviologen is a dark stage for which diffusion processes are necessary. The role of hydrogen peroxide in the reaction studied has been investigated. It has been shown that hydrogen peroxide is not the "initiator" of the reaction which results in the reduction of methylviologen. Reduced glutation and the mixture of reduced and oxidized glutations were used as electron donors in photosensitized reaction in the presence of air oxygen. An increase of the depth and rate of the reduction of methylviologen under aerobic conditions as compared to anaerobic ones points to the formation of more active reducers than the initial electron donor.     

Tocopherol is the scavenger of singlet oxygen produced by the triplet states of chlorophyll in the PSII reaction centre

Recent developments on the role of tocopherol in the antioxidant network of the chloroplast and, in particular, in the protection of PSII in high light are summarized. The origin and conditions for singlet oxygen production in the reaction centre via P680 triplet formation are discussed, as well as the scavenging of this singlet oxygen by tocopherol. This is probably the obligatory function of tocopherol in the plant in high light acclimation. Furthermore, tocopherol is part of the modulation system of ROS in stress signalling.     

Production of singlet oxygen in a non-self-sustained discharge

The production of O₂(a¹Δ_g) singlet oxygen in non-self-sustained discharges in pure oxygen and mixtures of oxygen with noble gases (Ar or He) was studied experimentally. It is shown that the energy efficiency of O₂(a¹Δ_g production can be optimized with respect to the reduced electric field E/N. It is shown that the optimal E/N values correspond to electron temperatures of 1.2–1.4 eV. At these E/N values, a decrease in the oxygen percentage in the mixture leads to an increase in the excitation rate of singlet oxygen because of the increase in the specific energy deposition per O₂ molecule. The onset of discharge instabilities not only greatly reduces the energy efficiency of singlet oxygen production but also makes it impossible to achieve high energy deposition in a non-self-sustained discharge. A model of a non-self-sustained discharge in pure oxygen is developed. It is shown that good agreement between the experimental and computed results for a discharge in oxygen over a wide range of reduced electric fields can be achieved only by taking into account the ion component of the discharge current. The cross section for the electron-impact excitation of O₂(a¹Δ_g and the kinetic scheme of the discharge processes with the participation of singlet oxygen are verified by comparing the experimental and computed data on the energy efficiency of the production of O₂(a¹Δ_g and the dynamics of its concentration. It is shown that, in the dynamics of O₂(a¹Δ_g molecules in the discharge afterglow, an important role is played by their deexcitation in a three-body reaction with the participation of O(³P) atoms. At high energy depositions in a non-self-sustained discharge, this reaction can reduce the maximal attainable concentration of singlet oxygen. The effect of a hydrogen additive to an Ar: O₂ mixture is analyzed based on the results obtained using the model developed. It is shown that, for actual electron beam current densities, a significant energy deposition in a non-self-sustained discharge in the mixtures under study can be achieved due to the high rate of electron detachment from negative ions. In this case, however, significant heating of the mixture can lead to a rapid quenching of O₂(a¹Δ_g molecules by atomic hydrogen.