| Abstract: | The comparison of the reduction kinetics of cytochrome c and nitroxide radical by ascorbate in reversed micelles of aerosol OT in octane was studied. The plot of the dependence of the reduction rate constant on the micelle hydratation is bell-shaped in the case of protein but shows the plateau form for the radical. The reaction rates decreases at high micelle concentrations. The equations have been drawn that connect the experimental rate constants with intramicellar biomolecular rate constant (km) for reagents unsolved in organic phase. In the case of strong hydratated micelles km for the radical reduction is practically equal to the rate constant in aqueous solution. For cytochrome c the ratio of these constants is less than 0.22, that may be explained by protein conformational changes detected by optical methods. For small micelle hydratation the dependence of the cytochrome reduction rate on ascorbate concentration is characterized by plateau. Under these conditions the limited stage of reaction is apparently the transition of the protein to the active conformation. |
