Excitation energy transfer and carotenoid radical cation formation in light harvesting complexes — A theoretical perspective

Light harvesting complexes have been identified in all chlorophyll-based photosynthetic organisms. Their major function is the absorption of light and its transport to the reaction centers, however, they are also involved in excess energy quenching, the so-called non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). In particular, electron transfer and the resulting formation of carotenoid radical cations have recently been discovered to play an important role during NPQ in green plants. Here, the results of our theoretical investigations of carotenoid radical cation formation in the major light harvesting complex LHC-II of green plants are reported. The carotenoids violaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein are considered as potential quenchers. In agreement with experimental results, it is shown that zeaxanthin cannot quench isolated LHC-II complexes. Furthermore, subtle structural differences in the two lutein binding pockets lead to substantial differences in the excited state properties of the two luteins. In addition, the formation mechanism of carotenoid radical cations in light harvesting complexes LH2 and LH1 of purple bacteria is studied. Here, the energetic position of the S₁ state of the involved carotenoids neurosporene, spheroidene, spheroidenone and spirilloxanthin seems to determine the occurrence of radical cations in these LHCs upon photo-excitation. An elaborate pump-deplete-probe experiment is suggested to challenge the proposed mechanism.     

Detection of single quantum dots in model organisms with sheet illumination microscopy

Single-molecule detection and tracking is important for observing biomolecule interactions in the microenvironment. Here we report selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) with single-molecule detection in living organisms, which enables fast imaging and single-molecule tracking and optical penetration beyond 300 μm. We detected single nanocrystals in Drosophila larvae and zebrafish embryo. We also report our first tracking of single quantum dots during zebrafish development, which displays a transition from flow to confined motion prior to the blastula stage. The new SPIM setup represents a new technique, which enables fast single-molecule imaging and tracking in living systems.     

The origin of allometric scaling laws in biology

The empirical rules relating metabolic rate and body size are described in terms of (i) a scaling exponent, which refers to the ratio of the fractional change in metabolic rate to a change in body size, (ii) a proportionality constant, which describes the rate of energy expenditure in an organism of unit mass. This article integrates the chemiosmotic theory of energy transduction with the methods of quantum statistics to propose a molecular mechanism which, in sharp contrast to competing models, explains both the variation in scaling exponents and the taxon-specific differences in proportionality constants. The new model is universal in the sense that it applies to unicellular organisms, plants and animals.     

量子点荧光技术标记肿瘤细胞中HSP的应用研究

目的探讨量子点荧光技术对人肾癌细胞株(ACHN)中不同HSP进行标记的可行性应用。方法利用量子点的荧光特性,免疫细胞化学方法检测体外培养的ACHN细胞中量子点特异性标记的HSP70、HSP90、HSPgp96的表达情况。结果共聚焦荧光显微镜下可见ACHN细胞中HSP70、HSP90、HSPgp96均有明显表达,呈现均匀分布的橙红色强荧光,且量子点在持续激发30分钟后无荧光淬灭发生。结论量子点荧光标记技术能够对不同HSP进行标记,且与传统的标记方法相比具有显著优点,可作为一种新型的检测技术应用于科研及临床标记检测中。     

Application of multiple response optimization design to quantum dot-encoded microsphere bioconjugates hybridization assay

The optimization of DNA hybridization for genotyping assays is a complex experimental problem that depends on multiple factors such as assay formats, fluorescent probes, target sequence, experimental conditions, and data analysis. Quantum dot-doped particle bioconjugates have been previously described as fluorescent probes to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms even though this advanced fluorescent material has shown structural instability in aqueous environments. To achieve the optimization of DNA hybridization to quantum dot-doped particle bioconjugates in suspension while maximizing the stability of the probe materials, a nonsequential optimization approach was evaluated. The design of experiment with response surface methodology and multiple optimization response was used to maximize the recovery of fluorescent probe at the end of the assay simultaneously with the optimization of target–probe binding. Hybridization efficiency was evaluated by the attachment of fluorescent oligonucleotides to the fluorescent probe through continuous flow cytometry detection. Optimal conditions were predicted with the model and tested for the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms. The design of experiment has been shown to significantly improve biochemistry and biotechnology optimization processes. Here we demonstrate the potential of this statistical approach to facilitate the optimization of experimental protocol that involves material science and molecular biology.     

Synthesis, characterization, photophysical and photochemical properties of 7-oxy-3-methyl-4-phenylcoumarin-substituted indium phthalocyanines

The synthesis of tetra- and octa-(7-oxy-3-methyl-4-phenylcoumarin)-substituted indium(III) phthalocyanine complexes obtained from 3-nitrophthalonitrile, 4-nitrophthalonitrile and 4,5-dichlorophthalonitrile substituted with 7-oxy-3-methyl-4-phenylcoumarin are described for the first time in this study. The new compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR, electronic spectroscopy and mass spectra. The photophysical and photochemical properties of the compounds are also studied in dimethylformamide (DMF). The effects of the number of the substitution and the position on the photophysical and photochemical parameters of the substituted indium(III) phthalocyanine complexes are also reported. Photophysical and photochemical properties of phthalocyanine complexes are very useful for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer applications. In particular, high singlet-oxygen quantum yields are very important for Type II mechanisms. These complexes have good singlet-oxygen quantum yields and show potential as Type II photosensitizers.     

Photoinhibition at chilling temperature

The effects of moderate light at chilling temperature on the photosynthesis of unhardened (acclimated to +18° C) and hardened (cold-acclimated) spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) leaves were studied by means of fluorescence-induction measurements at 20° C and 77K and by determination of quantum yield of O₂ evolution. Exposure to 550 mol photons·m^-2·s^-1 at +4° C induced a strong photoinhibition in the unhardened leaves within a few hours. Photoinhibition manifested by a decline in quantum yield was characterized by an increase in initial fluorescence (F _o) and a decrease in variable fluorescence (F _v) and in the ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence (F _V/F _M), both at 77K and 20° C. The decline in quantum yield was more closely related to the decrease in the F _V/F _M ratio measured at 20° C, as compared with F _V/F _M at 77K. Quenching of the variable fluorescence of photosystem II was accompanied by a decline in photosystem-I fluorescence at 77K, indicating increased thermal de-excitation of pigments as the main consequence of the light treatment. All these changes detected in fluorescence parameters as well as in the quantum yield of O₂ evolution were fully reversible within 1–3 h at a higher temperature in low light. The fast recovery led us to the view that this photoinhibition represents a regulatory mechanism protecting the photosynthetic apparatus from the adverse effects of excess light by increasing thermal energy dissipation. Long-term cold acclimation probably enforces other protective mechanisms, as the hardened leaves were insensitive to the same light treatment that induced strong inhibition of photosynthesis in unhardened leaves.Abbreviations F ₀ initial fluorescence - F _M maximum fluorescence - F _V variable fluorescence (F _M-F ₀ - PFD photon flux density - PS photosystem     

量子点免疫荧光技术在病理诊断中的初步应用

目的利用量子点(quantum dots,QDs)免疫荧光技术检测石蜡包埋组织中不同蛋白的定位与免疫酶法进行比较,以及两种蛋白的共表达,并探讨其初步应用价值。方法利用QDs免疫荧光和免疫酶组织化学方法分别检测正常阑尾组织LCA、乳腺肌上皮组织Calponin、肺癌组织p53蛋白的表达,并利用QDs免疫荧光双标法同时检测了宫颈上皮内瘤变组织内CK和PCNA蛋白、乳腺癌组织内Her-2和CK蛋白的共表达。结果QDs免疫荧光和免疫酶组织化学技术分别检测LCA、Calponin和p53蛋白的定位完全一致。QDs免疫荧光双标法结合多光谱成像可同时观察到宫颈上皮内瘤变组织内CK和PCNA蛋白、乳腺癌组织内Her-2和CK蛋白的共表达。结论QDs免疫荧光组织化学法具有与免疫酶法等同的应用价值。QDs免疫荧光双标法可同时检测不同蛋白的共定位。     

On the mechanism of cytochrome oxidation in bacterial photosynthesis Quantum tunnelling effects revisited

We propose that the unique temperature dependence of the Chance-De Vault cytochrome oxidation reaction in Chromatium is not due to a transition from low-temperature nuclear tunnelling to a high-temperature activated electron transfer (ET), but rather originates from two parallel ET processes from two distinct low-potential cytochromes to the bacteriochlorophyll dimer cation. These involve a slow activationless process, which dominates at low temperatures (T 120 K) and an activated process, which is practically exclusive at high temperatures. This conjecture provides plausible nuclear and electronic coupling terms and structural data for the two cytochrome oxidation reactions.