Low-temperature Fluorescence Spectroscopy Research Articles

Supercoiled DNA Promotes Formation of Intercalated cis-N2-Deoxyguanine Adducts and Base-Stacked trans-N2-Deoxyguanine Adducts by (+)-7R,8S-Dihydrodiol-9S,10R-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetra- hydrobenzo[a]pyrene

The highly reactive and mutagenic benzo[a]pyrene metabolite, (+)-7R,8S-dihydroxy-9S,10R-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE), forms predominantly N2-deoxyguanine DNA adducts in two stereoisomeric configurations (cis and trans). In previous in vitro assays using oligonucleotide substrates site specifically modified with cis- and trans-BPDE adducts, the nucleotide excision repair (NER) systems of eukaryotes and prokaryotes incise cis-BPDE adducts more efficiently than trans-BPDE adducts [Hess, et al. (1997) Mol. Cell Biol 17, 7069; Zou, et al. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 2923). We investigated the influence of DNA secondary structure on stereospecificity of BPDE adduct formation, and incision of BPDE adducts by the prokaryotic UvrABC NER endonuclease was examined. BPDE adducts formed at low density on supercoiled plasmids were incised 6-7-fold better by the thermoresistant Bacillus caldotenaxUvrABC than were BPDE adducts formed on linear DNA. Linearizing supercoiled plasmid DNAs after BPDE adduct formation did not diminish incision efficiency. These results suggested that configuration and/or conformation of adducts formed on linear and supercoiled DNAs differed. This hypothesis was confirmed by low temperature fluorescence spectroscopy of adducted supercoiled and linear DNAs. Spectroscopic results indicated that intercalated cis-BPDE adducts as well as base-stacked trans-BPDE adducts formed more abundantly in supercoiled DNA than in linear DNA. A higher cis to trans adduct ratio in supercoiled DNA was confirmed by high resolution [32P]postlabeling analyses. These results demonstrate that DNA secondary structure influences both configuration and conformation of BPDE adducts formed at low density (approximately 1 adduct/kbp) and suggests that the ratio of cis- to trans-BPDE adducts and amount of base-stacked trans adducts formed under physiological exposure conditions may be higher than inferred from high dose experiments.

Disassembly and Degradation of Photosystem I in an in Vitro System Are Multievent, Metal-dependent Processes

An in vitro system was created to study the process of membrane protein degradation by using photosystem I (PS1) as a model membrane protein. Purified chloroplast membranes were incubated at 30 degrees C in a defined buffer along with various extracts or reagents to reconstitute the disassembly and degradation of PS1, which was monitored by a variety of techniques that probe the integrity of the PS1 complex: photo-biochemical assays, semi-native gel electrophoresis, low temperature fluorescence spectroscopy, and immunoblots using antibodies against different PS1 subunits. During a typical time course, degradation of PS1 appeared to be a multievent process, with disassembly of the complex preceding proteolysis of the subunits. The first change seen was a rapid (<5 min) decrease in PS1 photochemical activity. This was followed by a diminution of far-red fluorescence emission from the core antenna of PS1 and a slower disassembly of the PS1 chlorophyll-protein core complex, as visualized by semi-native gel electrophoresis. Surprisingly, the latter was not accompanied by a similar rate of proteolysis of the PsaA core subunit. In contrast, addition of soluble proteases caused rapid loss of immuno-detectable PS1 polypeptides and cleavage of the major PS1 polypeptides in interhelical loops. The in vitro degradation process was time- and temperature-dependent but did not require ATP, GTP, or soluble chloroplast proteins. Chelation of divalent cations by EDTA inhibited the later steps of disassembly and proteolysis, and this effect could be reversed by addition of micromolar Zn2+, with Co2+ and Ca2+ providing somewhat lower activity.

Novel biosensor chip for simultaneous detection of DNA-carcinogen adducts with low-temperature fluorescence

A monoclonal antibody (MAb)–gold biosensor chip with low-temperature laser-induced fluorescence detection for analysis of DNA-carcinogen adducts is described. Optimization of the detection limit, dynamic range, and biosensing applicability of the MAb–gold biosensor chip was achieved by: (1) using dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate (DSP)) as a protein linker and (2) employing recombinant protein A to provide oriented immobilization of the MAbs. The use of DSP, which has a short methylene chain length, led to faster protein binding kinetics and higher protein surface density than a longer dithiobis(succinimidyl undecanoate) (DSU) linker. The incorporation of recombinant protein A increased the distance between the oriented MAb-bound analytes and the gold surface. The increased distance minimized fluorescence quenching, resulting in about a 10-fold increase in the fluorescence signal in comparison with a chip without protein A. The improved chip architecture was used to demonstrate that biosensing of two structurally similar benzo[ a]pyrene (BP)-derived DNA adducts, BP-6-N7Gua and BP-diolepoxide-10-N 2dG, bound to two specific MAbs immobilized from a mixture at the same address on the chip, is feasible. These mutagenic adducts are formed by one-electron oxidation and monooxygenation pathways, and are depurinating and stable DNA adducts, respectively. It is shown that the DNA adducts can be easily identified at the same address using time-resolved, low-temperature laser-based fluorescence spectroscopy. The current limit of detection is in the low femtomole range. These results indicate that a single biosensor chip consisting of a Au/DSP/protein A/MAb nanoassembly, with analyte-specific MAbs and low-temperature fluorescence detection should be suitable for simultaneous detection and quantitation of the above adducts, as well as the luminescent antigens for which selective MAbs exist.

A Reaction Center-Light-harvesting 1 Complex (RC-LH1) from a Rhodospirillum rubrum Mutant with Altered Esterifying Pigments: CHARACTERIZATION BY OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY AND CRYO-ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Introduction of the bchP gene from Rhodobacter sphaeroides encoding geranylgeranyl reductase into Rhodospirillum rubrum alters the esterification of the bacteriochlorophylls so that phytol is used instead of geranylgeraniol. The resulting transconjugant strain of Rs. rubrum grows photosynthetically, showing that phytolated Bchla can substitute for the native pigment in both the reaction center (RC) and the light-harvesting 1 (LH1) complexes. This genetic manipulation perturbs the native carotenoid biosynthetic pathway; several biosynthetic intermediates are assembled into the core complex and are capable of energy transfer to the bacteriochlorophylls. RC-LH1 complexes containing phytolated Bchla were analyzed by low temperature absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism. These show that phytolated Bchls can assemble in vivo into the photosynthetic apparatus of Rs. rubrum and that the newly introduced phytol tail provokes small perturbations to the Bchls within their binding sites in the LH1 complex. The RC-LH1 core complex was purified from membranes and reconstituted into well ordered two-dimensional crystals with a p4212 space group. A projection map calculated to 9 A shows clearly that the LH1 ring from the mutant is composed of 16 subunits that surround the reaction center and that the diameter of this complex is in close agreement with that of the wild-type LH1 complex.

A microspectrophotometer for UV–visible absorption and fluorescence studies of protein crystals

Absorption microspectrophotometry has been shown to be of considerable help to probe crystalline proteins containing chromophores, metal centres, or coloured substrates/co-factors. Absorption spectra contribute to the proper interpretation of crystallographic structures, especially when transient intermediate states are studied. Here it is shown that fluorescence microspectrophotometry might also be used for such purposes if endogenous fluorophores are present in the macromolecule or when exogenous fluorophores are added and either bind to the protein or reside in the solvent channels. An off-line microspectrophotometer that is able to perform low-temperature absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy on crystals mounted in cryo-loops is described. One-shot steady-state emission spectra of outstanding quality were routinely collected from several samples. In some cases, crystals with optical densities that are too low or too high for absorption studies can still be tackled with fluorescence microspectrophotometry. The technique may be used for simple controls such as checking the presence, absence or redox state of a fluorescent substrate/co-factor. Potential applications in the field of kinetic crystallography are numerous. In addition, the possibility to probe key physico-chemical parameters of the crystal, such as temperature, pH or solvent viscosity, could trigger new studies in protein dynamics.

Analysis of protochlorophyllide reaccumulation in the phytochrome chromophore-deficient aurea and yg-2 mutants of tomato by in vivo fluorescence spectroscopy.

The aurea and yellow-green-2 (yg-2) mutants of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) are unable to synthesize the phytochrome chromophore from heme resulting in a block of this branch of the tetrapyrrole pathway. We have previously shown that these mutants also exhibit an inhibition of protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) synthesis and it has been hypothesised that this is due to feedback inhibition by heme on the synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). In this study we have investigated Pchlide reaccumulation in cotyledons from etiolated wild-type (WT), aurea and yg-2 seedlings using low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy. WT cotyledons showed two characteristic Pchlide emission maxima at 630 nm (F630) and 655 nm (F655) respectively, while the aurea and yg-2 mutants contained only phototransformable Pchlide F655. Following a white-light flash to WT cotyledons, reaccumulation of phototransformable Pchlide F655 in the first 30 min was absolutely dependent on the presence of Pchlide F630 before the flash. Reaccumulation of Pchlide F630 was not apparent until at least 2 h after the phototransformation. In contrast, Pchlide F630 never accumulated in aurea cotyledons. The relative rates of both Pchlide F655 and total Pchlide synthesis were approximately twice as high in WT compared to aurea. Measurement of ALA synthesis capacity during this period showed that the reduced rate of Pchlide reaccumulation in aurea was due to an inhibition at this step of the pathway. In addition, feeding of ALA resulted in a substantial and equal increase of non-phototransformable Pchlide in both WT and aurea indicating that aurea cotyledons are capable of accumulating high levels of Pchlide that is not associated to the active site of NADPH:Pchlide oxidoreductase (POR). The implications of these results for the mechanism of inhibition of Pchlide synthesis in phytochrome chromophore-deficient mutants and the role of non-phototransformable Pchlide F630 during plastid development are discussed.

Carotenoid dependence of the protochlorophyllide to chlorophyllide phototransformation in dark-grown wheat seedlings

The influence of carotenoids on partial protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) photoreduction and the successive formation of long-wavelength chlorophyllide (Chlide) forms was studied by low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy (77 K). Wheat leaves with a decreased content of carotenoids obtained from norflurazon-treated seedlings (10 and 100 μmol l −1) were compared with leaves containing normal amounts of these pigments. Partial photoreduction of Pchlide was achieved by irradiation of the leaves with one light flash in combination with a number of neutral gray and/or red Perspex filters. There were significant differences between the fluorescence emission spectra (the position and height of the peaks) of dark-grown normal and carotenoid-deficient leaves irradiated with non-saturating white light of increasing intensity. The long-wavelength Chlide forms appeared first in the leaves nearly devoid of carotenoids (treated with 100 μmol l −1 norflurazon), then in the leaves with carotenoid deficiency (treated with 10 μmol l −1 norflurazon), and finally in normal leaves. After irradiation with non-saturating light of the same intensity, the ratio Chlide/Pchlide 657 was always the highest in the leaves nearly deficient of carotenoids, medium in the leaves with carotenoid deficiency and lowest in the normal leaves. Similarly to white light, red light of low intensity induced faster formation of long-wavelength Chlide species in the leaves with carotenoid deficiency in comparison to the normal leaves. We propose that, in leaves with reduced carotenoid content, a greater number of Pchlide molecules transform to Chlide per light flash than in normal leaves. The results are discussed in relation to the involvement of carotenoids in competitive absorption and light screening, as well as to their influence on Pchlide–Chlide interactions.

Fluorescence and photochemical properties of phytochromes in wild‐type wheat and a transgenic line overexpressing an oat phytochrome A (PHYA) gene: functional implications

AbstractEtiolated seedlings of wild‐type wheat and a transgenic line overexpressing an oat PHYA gene were investigated by the use of in situ low‐temperature fluorescence spectroscopy. The red‐absorbing phytochrome form, Pr, was characterized by (1) fluorescence emission spectrum; (2) total phytochrome content, and (3) by the extent of the Pr → lumi‐R photoconversion at low temperature (γ1), and of the Pr → Pfr photoconversion at ambient temperature (γ2) as derived from emission data. All the characteristics were shown to be variable and to depend on (1) organ and tissue used; (2) seedling age; (3) transgenic wheat modification, and (4) continuous far‐red irradiation of seedlings during their growth. These variations were interpreted in terms of the existence in wheat seedlings of the two phenomenological Pr types: (a), Pr′– major longer wavelength (687/673 nm, emission/absorption maxima) variable and light‐labile with γ1 ≈ 0·5; and (b), Pr′′– minor, shorter wavelength (682/668 nm), relatively constant with its concentration not changing significantly with the increase of total phytochrome content in tissues and light‐stable with γ1 ≤ 0·05–0·1. Overexpression of oat phyA increases primarily the content of Pr′ suggesting that it is comprised of phyA (phyA′) whereas Pr′′ is believed to consist of the minor phyA fraction (phyA′′) and phyB. The transgenic wheat line has been demonstrated to have a modified phenotype – the appearance of the far‐red high irradiance reaction (FR‐HIR) (Shlumukov et al. Plant, Cell and Environment 24, 703–712). The increased content of phyA′ in the transgenic line, whereas the total [phyA′′ + phyB] remains the same as in the wild type, indicates that the phyA′ pool is primarily responsible for the observed modification of the phenotype and suggests that even in wild‐type plants the phyA′ component of the phyA pool may mediate the FR‐HIR.

A study on the vibrational structure of poly(phenylenevinylene)s via low-temperature UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy

UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy of poly(phenylenevinylene) derivatives were acquired at low temperature (−108 °C). Noticeable spectroscopic red-shifts (as large as 17 nm) were detected from both polymers and model compounds in solutions when the temperature was decreased from 25 °C to −108 °C, indicating that the molecules adopted a more planar conformation at the low temperature. The low temperature spectra revealed the hidden structured absorption and emission. The vibrational structures in the fluorescence spectra were analyzed by using the obtained spectroscopic data at the low temperature. The very similar spectroscopic properties between the polymers (1 and 2) and their model compounds (3 and 4) strongly suggested that the observed spectroscopic red-shift from the polymers at the low temperature was an intrinsic property of the chromophore.

The initial steps of biogenesis of cyanobacterial photosystems occur in plasma membranes.

During oxygenic photosynthesis in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts of plants and eukaryotic algae, conversion of light energy to biologically useful chemical energy occurs in the specialized thylakoid membranes. Light-induced charge separation at the reaction centers of photosystems I and II, two multisubunit pigment-protein complexes in the thylakoid membranes, energetically drive sequential photosynthetic electron transfer reactions in this membrane system. In general, in the prokaryotic cyanobacterial cells, the thylakoid membrane is distinctly different from the plasma membrane. We have recently developed a two-dimensional separation procedure to purify thylakoid and plasma membranes from the genetically widely studied cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Immunoblotting analysis demonstrated that the purified plasma membrane contained a number of protein components closely associated with the reaction centers of both photosystems. Moreover, these proteins were assembled in the plasma membrane as chlorophyll-containing multiprotein complexes, as evidenced from nondenaturing green gel and low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy data. Furthermore, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis showed that in the partially assembled photosystem I core complex in the plasma membrane, the P700 reaction center was capable of undergoing light-induced charge separation. Based on these data, we propose that the plasma membrane, and not the thylakoid membrane, is the site for a number of the early steps of biogenesis of the photosynthetic reaction center complexes in these cyanobacterial cells.

Involvement of Ycf3, Ycf4 and BtpA in photosystem I biogenesis of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803.

Cyanobacterial photosystem I serves as a model system to elucidate the biogenesis of a complex membrane protein on the molecular basis. PS I is an integral membrane complex, comprised of 11 protein subunits and a large number of cofactors. The proteins Ycf3, Ycf4 and BtpA have already been implicated as potential biogenesis-proteins on the basis of knock-out mutants, but their molecular function is unknown. In our group, the corresponding genes were cloned, overexpressed in E. coli and purified. Size exclusion chromatography shows homooligomerisation, with Ycf4 forming dimers at 40 kDa and Ycf3 and BtpA proteins existing in oligomeric complexes of 250 kDa and 650 kDa respectively. These data are supported by further experiments using the yeast-2-hybrid system and ligand-overlay assays. All proteins are associated with the thylakoid membrane of Synechocystis, as revealed by immunoelectronmicroscopy. Deletion mutants in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 are fully segregated and show characteristic phenotypes. Cells lacking ycf3 posses no photosystem I and are unable to grow photoautotrophically. In contrast, ycf4 and btpA deletion strains grow in minimal media but show reduced levels of PS I. The degree of PS I reduction depends strongly on environmental factors as light and medium. Heterotrophically grown ycf4-deletion mutants express no PS I, however if the are grown photoautotrohically, PS I can be measured by low temperature fluorescence spectroscopy. Structure-function analysis of these deletion strains is under way and latest results will be presented during the meeting, as well as data on the composition of PS I in ycf4 and btpA deletion mutants. In addition, our deletion strains will be analysed by a proteomic approach. As an alternative to traditional 2-DE electrophoresis, we have established a system to identify integral and peripheral membrane proteins using a combined HPLC-electrophoresis technique and MALDI-TOF. Our data suggest a stabilizing or regulatory role for Ycf4 and BtpA, whereas Ycf3 is essential for the assembly of functional photosystem I.

Recombinant phytochrome A in yeast differs by its spectroscopic and photochemical properties from the major phyA' and is close to the minor phyA": evidence for posttranslational modification of the pigment in plants.

Previously, two pools of phytochrome A (phyA' and phyA") have been detected by in situ low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy and photochemistry; it was suggested that they might differ in the nature of their posttranslational modification. In order to verify this possibility Arabidopsis and rice (Oryza) phyA were expressed in yeast and the pigments were assembled in vivo with phycocyanobilin (PCB) and phytochromobilin (P phi B). The resulting recombinant phytochromes in the red-light-absorbing form (Pr) were characterized in the yeast cell by (1) the fluorescence emission spectra; (2) the temperature dependence of Pr fluorescence intensity and activation energy of fluorescence decay; and (3) the extent of photoconversion of Pr into photoproduct lumi-R (gamma 1) or far-red-light absorbing form (Pfr) (gamma 2). Both Arabidopsis phyA/PCB and Oryza phyA/P phi B had low gamma 1 of ca 0.05, allowing their attribution to the Pr" phenomenological type of phytochrome comprising phyA", phyB and cryptogam phytochromes. The spectroscopic properties of Oryza phyA/P phi B were also very close to phyA". However, both investigated holoproteins differed from phyA", both with respect to the character of temperature dependence of the fluorescence yield and activation energy. Thus, recombinant Oryza phyA/P phi B is similar but not identical to phyA". The data demonstrate that the low-abundance-fraction plant phyA (phyA") comes from the same gene as the major (phyA') fraction. Because both endogenous phyA fractions differ from the phytochrome expressed in yeast, they appear to be posttranslationally modified and/or bound to partner proteins or cellular substructures. However, the character of the presumed chemical modification is different in phyA' and phyA" and its extent is more profound in the case of the former.

Fluorescence and photochemical characterization of phytochromes A and B in transgenic potato expressing Arabidopsis phytochrome B

Phytochrome in etiolated sprouts of wild type (WT) potato and its transgenic strains ( DARA5 and DARA12) expressing Arabidopsis thaliana phytochrome B (phyB) was investigated using low-temperature (85 K) fluorescence spectroscopy and photochemistry. Phytochrome content, [ P tot], position of the Pr emission and excitation spectra, λ max, and extent of the Pr→lumi-R, γ 1, and Pr→Pfr, γ 2, phototransformations (at 85 and 273 K, respectively) were shown to vary in the transgenic lines and WT depending on tissue used (upper vs. lower parts of etiolated sprouts) and light-induced phytochrome depletion. Differences in the parameters between the transgenic lines and WT were detected which were interpreted in terms of the two phenomenological Pr types: a labile Pr′ with γ 1≈0.5 consisting of a major phytochrome A (phyA) fraction (phyA′) and a relatively conserved Pr″ with γ 1=0 comprising a minor phyA fraction (phyA″) and phyB. Both DARA lines had higher [Pr″] as compared with WT in the lower parts of etiolated stems, especially after light-induced phytochrome depletion (residual phytochrome in DARA5 and DARA12 made up to one-third of its initial level vs. <5% in WT). These differences were associated with the expression of Arabidopsis phyB in the DARA lines and its higher light stability than that of phyA. Arabidopsis phyB expressed in potato was characterised by λ max=683/669 nm in the emission/excitation (absorption) spectra and γ 1=0. PhyB also revealed a relatively low γ 2 (approx. 0.5) and its early red drop as compared with the γ 2 wavelength dependence for phyA. This is believed to contribute to the lower signalling ability of phyB and to confine the region (red) of its physiological activity.

Monoclonal antibody--gold biosensor chips for detection of depurinating carcinogen--DNA adducts by fluorescence line-narrowing spectroscopy.

A new direct readout methodology for detection and quantitation of fluorescent carcinogen-DNA adducts is described. It combines the binding specificity of an immobilized monoclonal antibody (MAb) with high-resolution, low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy. The MAb, which is covalently bound to a gold surface via a chemisorbed disulfide coupling agent, binds the adduct of interest in an aqueous sample. Laser-induced fluorescence under nonline narrowing (FNLN) and line-narrowing (FLN) conditions was used to detect (benzo[a]pyren-6-yl)guanine (BP-6-N7Gua) bound to immobilized MAb. At room temperature, the BP-6-N7Gua fluorescence was not detected, most likely because of quenching by the gold surface and/or efficient dynamical quenching. However, fluorescence was observed at room temperature when the surface was covered with a thin layer of glycerol, and possible reasons for the fluorescence enhancement are considered. Lowering of the temperature to 77 K led to nearly an order of magnitude increase in fluorescence intensity. Highly structured FLN spectra obtained at 4.2 K allowed for definitive adduct identification. The potential of this methodology for risk assessments of individuals exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is discussed.

In vitro spectrofluorometric determination of chlorophyll de novo synthesis in chlorophyll-deficient phenotypes of Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br

Blocks in chlorophyll (Chl) biosynthesis in crude extracts of well-defined chlorophyll-deficient seedlings and green siblings from five Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br. genotypes and the ability of these genotypes to relieve such blocks in crude extract mixtures were studied with low temperature (77 K) fluorescence spectroscopy. Dark-adapted green seedling extracts exhibited F657, F685, and F735 peaks corresponding with protochlorophyllide (Pchlide), Chl from photosystem II and from photosystem I, respectively. Extracts of white seedlings from white stripe mutants and an albino mutant exhibited F657 peaks indicative of Pchlide, whereas the extracts of yellow seedlings from yellow stripe mutants exhibited F657 and F678 peaks representing Pchlide and chlorophyllide (Chlide) accumulation, respectively. Addition of their green sibling's extract resulted in the appearance of F685 and F735 peaks, suggesting de novo relief of the blocks and photoreduction of Pchlide to Chl(ide). Incubating a mixture of crude extracts of yellow seedlings from two different yellow stripe mutants did not alter their peaks, indicating a lack of reconstitution because of a common limiting factor in the two yellow seedling sources. Likewise, the mixture of crude extract of yellow seedlings with that of white seedlings from white stripe mutants displayed no Chl peaks. Spontaneous greening in the mixture of crude extracts of yellow seedlings with that of albino mutant and its failure in other reconstitution experiments suggests that Chl synthase in albino seedlings enabled the conversion of Chlide to Chl in vitro. The factors governing the in vitro reconstitution and its implications in genetic complementation are discussed.Key words: chlorophyll-deficient mutants, blocks in chlorophyll biosynthesis, crude extracts, in vitro synthesis of chlorophyll.

Evidence of chlorophyll synthesis pathway alteration in desiccated barley leaves.

In etiolated leaves, saturating flash of 200 ms induces phototransformation of protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) F655 into chlorophyllide (Chlide), then into Chl through reactions which do not need light sensibilisation. The synthesis of Chl is known to be slowed down in etiolated leaves exposed to desiccation stress. In order to analyse the intensity and time-course of Chlide transformation into Chl, we used the fluorescence emission of etiolated leaves previously exposed to a 200 ms saturating flash. We used low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy to reveal the inhibition site of Chl synthesis in etiolated barley leaves exposed to water stress. Shibata shift appears as the main target point of the water deficit. It was found that water deficit inhibits partially active Pchlide F655 regeneration. Also, esterification of Chlide into Chl is impaired. It appears that these inhibitory effects alter the appearance of PSII active reaction centres.

In vitro spectrofluorometric determination of chlorophyll de novo synthesis in chlorophyll-deficient phenotypes of &lt;i&gt;Pennisetum glaucum&lt;/i&gt; (L.) R.Br

Blocks in chlorophyll (Chl) biosynthesis in crude extracts of well-defined chlorophyll-deficient seedlings and green siblings from five Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br. genotypes and the ability of these genotypes to relieve such blocks in crude extract mixtures were studied with low temperature (77 K) fluorescence spectroscopy. Dark-adapted green seedling extracts exhibited F657, F685, and F735 peaks corresponding with protochlorophyllide (Pchlide), Chl from photosystem II and from photosystem I, respectively. Extracts of white seedlings from white stripe mutants and an albino mutant exhibited F657 peaks indicative of Pchlide, whereas the extracts of yellow seedlings from yellow stripe mutants exhibited F657 and F678 peaks representing Pchlide and chlorophyllide (Chlide) accumulation, respectively. Addition of their green sibling's extract resulted in the appearance of F685 and F735 peaks, suggesting de novo relief of the blocks and photoreduction of Pchlide to Chl(ide). Incubating a mixture of crude extrac...

Protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase B-catalyzed protochlorophyllide photoreduction in vitro: insight into the mechanism of chlorophyll formation in light-adapted plants.

The mechanism of the protochlorophyllide (PChlide) photoreduction reaction operating in light-adapted plants and catalyzed by NADPH:protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase B (PORb) has been analyzed by low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy by using purified barley PORb overexpressed heterologously in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with the maltose-binding protein. We show that the PORb-catalyzed PChlide reduction reaction consists of two steps, one photochemical and the other nonphotochemical. The initial photochemical reaction follows a single quantum mechanism and leads to the formation of an unstable intermediate with mixed pigment electronic structure and an EPR spectrum that suggests the presence of a free electron. The second step involves the spontaneous conversion of the unstable intermediate into chlorophyllide as defined by its spectroscopic characteristics and migration on an HPLC column. Both steps of the reaction can be performed at subzero temperatures in frozen samples, suggesting that they do not include major changes in enzyme conformation or pigment rearrangement within the active site. The rate of the reaction at room temperature depends linearly on enzyme and substrate (PChlide) concentration, and the kinetic parameters are consistent with one molecule of substrate bound per active monomer in solution. The PORb-catalyzed reaction in vitro is spectroscopically similar to that identified in leaves of light-adapted plants, suggesting that the same reaction sequence observed operates in planta.

On-line identification of diastereomeric dibenzo[a,l]pyrene diol epoxide-derived deoxyadenosine adducts by capillary electrophoresis–fluorescence line-narrowing and non-line narrowing spectroscopy

A capillary electrophoretic method for the separation and on-line identification of closely related analytes using low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy is reported for the eight diastereomeric deoxyadenosine (dA) adducts derived from dibenzo[a,l]pyrene diol epoxide (DB[a,l]PDE). Electrophoretic separation of stereoisomers was accomplished by application of a mixed surfactant buffer [dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) and Brij-S], which was below the critical micelle concentration (CMC) due to the high concentration (∼25%) of organic solvent. Addition of multiple surfactant additives to the separation buffer provided electrophoretic resolution, which was unattainable under single surfactant conditions. It is shown that the CE-separated analyte zones could be identified on-line via low-temperature (4.2 K) fluorescence non-line narrowing and fluorescence line-narrowing (FLN) spectroscopy. In addition, it was determined that in CE buffer trans-syn-, cis-syn- and cis-anti-DB[a,l]PDE-14-N6dA diastereomeric adducts exist mostly with the –dA and DB[a,l]P moiety in an “open”-type conformation while the trans-anti-DB[a,l]PDE-14-N6dA adducts exist in two different conformations whose relative distribution depends on matrix composition. The above conformations have also been revealed by selective laser excitation. Thus, the low-temperature methodology not only provides fingerprint structure via vibrationally resolved 4.2 K fluorescence spectra for adduct identification, but also provides conformational information on the spatial relationship of the carcinogen and dA moiety. These results, taken together with those for DB[a,l]P–DNA adducts formed in standard glasses and mouse epidermis exposed to DB[a,l]P, support our earlier findings that DB[a,l]P-derived adducts exist in different conformations [Jankowiak et al., Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11 (1998) 674]. Therefore, the combination of the separation power of CE and spectral selectivity of low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy at NLN and FLN conditions provides a powerful methodology which should prove useful for identification of closely related DNA adducts formed at low levels in biological systems.

Low temperature absorption, fluorescence, and hole-burning spectroscopy of photosystem II reaction center complex containing 1 and 2 carotenoides

Well defined photosystem II reaction centers from Pisum sativum containing 5 or 6 chlorophyll a (Chl a), 2 pheophytine a (Pheo a), and 1 or 2 β-carotene ( β Car) molecules were prepared by using immobilized metal affinity chromatography. Samples containing 6 Chl a and 1 or 2 β-Car and containing 5 Chl a and 1 β-Car were measured using low temperature absorption, fluorescence and hole-burning spectroscopy. Absorption bands of the β Car (462, 490, and 508 nm) can be clearly distinguished next to the Soret absorption band of Chl a at low temperature. Their relative intensities strongly depend on Chl/Car ratio. The shapes of fluorescence bands are the same for all samples. Persistent spectral holes were burnt into both absorption and fluorescence spectra. This technique provides lifetime of excited state τ 1 and Huang–Rhys factor S. Values of τ 1 correspond to two picoseconds energy transfer in reaction centers. Huang–Rhys factor S=0.4 appears to be the same for all studied samples.