Presence Of Dithionite Research Articles

An unusual triplet population pathway in the Reaction Centre of the Chlorophyll-d binding Photosystem I of A. marina, as revealed by a combination of TR-EPR and ODMR spectroscopies

Photo-induced Chlorophyll (Chl) triplet states in the isolated Photosystem I (PSI) of Acaryochloris marina, that harbours Chl d as its main pigment, were investigated by Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR) and Time-Resolved Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (TR-EPR), and as a function of pre-illumination of the sample under reducing redox poising. Fluorescence Detected Magnetic Resonance (FDMR) allowed resolving four Chl d triplet (3Chl d) populations (T1-T4) both in untreated and illuminated samples in the presence of ascorbate and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD). The FDMR signals increased following the pre-illumination treatment, particularly for the T3 and T4 populations, which are therefore sensitive to the redox state of PSI cofactors. Microwave-induced Triplet minus Singlet (TmS) spectra were detected in the |D|-|E| resonance window of the T3 and T4 triplets. These showed a broad singlet bleaching centred at 740 nm and also displayed complex spectral structure with several derivative-like features, indicating that both the T3 and T43Chl d populations are associated with the PSI reaction centre (RC) triplet, P3740. Parallel measurements by TR-EPR demonstrated that triplet signals observed under all conditions investigated are dominated by an electron spin polarisation (esp), which is typical of intersystem crossing, differently from what expected for recombination triplet states formed from a radical pair precursor. Moreover, stronger reductant conditions obtained by pre-illumination of the samples in the presence of dithionite and 5-methylphenazinium methyl sulfate (PMS) did not lead to a recombination triplet state esp, but rather to a decrease of the whole signal intensity. The energetics of A. marina PSI and the possible occurrence of distributions of cofactors redox properties are discussed in order to address the unexpected P3740 esp.

Characterization of a Nitrogenase Iron Protein Substituted with a Synthetic [Fe4Se4] Cluster

AbstractThe Fe protein of nitrogenase plays multiple roles in substrate reduction and cluster maturation via its redox‐active [Fe4S4] cluster. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a water‐soluble [Fe4Se4] cluster that is used to substitute the [Fe4S4] cluster of the Azotobacter vinelandii Fe protein (AvNifH). Biochemical, EPR and XAS/EXAFS analyses demonstrate the ability of the [Fe4Se4] cluster to adopt the super‐reduced, all‐ferrous state upon its incorporation into AvNifH. Moreover, these studies reveal that the [Fe4Se4] cluster in AvNifH already assumes a partial all‐ferrous state ([Fe4Se4]0) in the presence of dithionite, where its [Fe4S4] counterpart in AvNifH exists solely in the reduced state ([Fe4S4]1+). Such a discrepancy in the redox properties of the AvNifH‐associated [Fe4Se4] and [Fe4S4] clusters can be used to distinguish the differential redox requirements for the substrate reduction and cluster maturation of nitrogenase, pointing to the utility of chalcogen‐substituted FeS clusters in future mechanistic studies of nitrogenase catalysis and assembly.

Characterization of a Nitrogenase Iron Protein Substituted with a Synthetic [Fe4 Se4 ] Cluster.

The Fe protein of nitrogenase plays multiple roles in substrate reduction and cluster maturation via its redox-active [Fe4 S4 ] cluster. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a water-soluble [Fe4 Se4 ] cluster that is used to substitute the [Fe4 S4 ] cluster of the Azotobacter vinelandii Fe protein (AvNifH). Biochemical, EPR and XAS/EXAFS analyses demonstrate the ability of the [Fe4 Se4 ] cluster to adopt the super-reduced, all-ferrous state upon its incorporation into AvNifH. Moreover, these studies reveal that the [Fe4 Se4 ] cluster in AvNifH already assumes a partial all-ferrous state ([Fe4 Se4 ]0 ) in the presence of dithionite, where its [Fe4 S4 ] counterpart in AvNifH exists solely in the reduced state ([Fe4 S4 ]1+ ). Such a discrepancy in the redox properties of the AvNifH-associated [Fe4 Se4 ] and [Fe4 S4 ] clusters can be used to distinguish the differential redox requirements for the substrate reduction and cluster maturation of nitrogenase, pointing to the utility of chalcogen-substituted FeS clusters in future mechanistic studies of nitrogenase catalysis and assembly.

Dinitrosyl Iron Complexes with Thiol-Containing Ligands Exist in Living Organisms Mainly in the Binuclear Form

The levels of the mononitrosyl iron complex with diethyldithiocarbamate that form in the liver of mice in vivo and in vitro after intraperitoneal injection of binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes with N-acetyl-L-cysteine or glutathione, S-nitrosoglutathione, sodium nitrite, or the vasodilating drug isosorbide dinitrate (Isoket®) have been assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The levels of the complex in mice that received binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes with thiol-containing ligands or S-nitrosoglutathione do not change after the treatment of liver preparations with the strong reducing agent dithionite, in contrast to those formed after nitrite or isosorbide dinitrate administration, whose levels sharply increase after the same treatment. It is inferred that in the latter case an EPR-active mononitrosyl iron complex with diethyldithiocarbamate is produced with the absence or presence of dithionite in the reaction of NO formed from nitrite with Fe2+-diethyldithiocarbamate and Fe3+-diethyldithiocarbamate complexes, respectively. In the former case, the mononitrosyl iron complex with diethyldithiocarbamate is produced by transition of iron-mononitrosyl fragments from already present iron-dinitrosyl groups of binuclear dinitrosyl complexes, whose content is three to four times higher than the content of the mononuclear form of these complexes in the tissue. The results we obtained indicate that when dinitrosyl iron complexes with thiol-containing ligands, either introduced into the body or produced with the participation of endogenous NO, appear in animal tissues in vivo, these complexes are presented in these tissues mainly in their diamagnetic, EPR-silent binuclear form.

ДИНИТРОЗИЛЬНЫЕ КОМПЛЕКСЫ ЖЕЛЕЗА C ТИОЛСОДЕРЖАЩИМИ ЛИГАНДАМИ ПРЕДСТАВЛЕНЫ В ЖИВЫХ ОРГАНИЗМАХ В ОСНОВНОМ ИХ БИЯДЕРНОЙ ФОРМОЙ

The number of mononitrosyl iron complexes with diethyldithiocarbamate, formed in the liver of mice in vivo and in vitro after intraperitoneal injection of binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes with N-acetyl-L-cysteine or glutathione, S-nitrosoglutathione, sodium nitrite or the vasodilating drug Isoket® was assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The number of the said complexes, in contrast to the complexes, formed after nitrite or Isoket administration, the level of which sharply increased after treatment of liver preparations with a strong reducing agent - dithionite, did not change in the presence of dithionite. It was concluded that, in the first case, EPR-detectable mononitrosyl iron complexes with diethyldithiocarbamate in the absence and presence of dithionite appeared as a result of the reaction of NO formed from nitrite with Fe2+-dieth- yldithiocarbamate and Fe3+-diethyldithiocarbamate complexes, respectively. In the second case, mononitrosyl iron complexes with diethyldithiocarbamate appeared as a result of the transition of iron-mononitosyl fragments from ready-made iron-dinitrosyl groups of binuclear dinitrosyl complexes, which is three to four times higher than the content of the mononuclear form of these complexes in the tissue...

Oxygen dissociation from ferrous oxygenated human hemoglobin:haptoglobin complexes confirms that in the R-state \u03b1 and \u03b2 chains are functionally heterogeneous

The adverse effects of extra-erythrocytic hemoglobin (Hb) are counterbalanced by several plasma proteins devoted to facilitate the clearance of free heme and Hb. In particular, haptoglobin (Hp) traps the αβ dimers of Hb, which are delivered to the reticulo-endothelial system by CD163 receptor-mediated endocytosis. Since Hp:Hb complexes show heme-based reactivity, kinetics of O2 dissociation from the ferrous oxygenated human Hp1-1:Hb and Hp2-2:Hb complexes (Hp1-1:Hb(II)-O2 and Hp2-2:Hb(II)-O2, respectively) have been determined. O2 dissociation from Hp1-1:Hb(II)-O2 and Hp2-2:Hb(III)-O2 follows a biphasic process. The relative amplitude of the fast and slow phases ranges between 0.47 and 0.53 of the total amplitude, with values of koff1 (ranging between 25.6 ± 1.4 s−1 and 29.1 ± 1.3 s−1) being about twice faster than those of koff2 (ranging between 13.8 ± 1.6 s−1 and 16.1 ± 1.2 s−1). Values of koff1 and koff2 are essentially the same independently on whether O2 dissociation has been followed after addition of a dithionite solution or after O2 displacement by a CO solution in the presence of dithionite. They correspond to those reported for the dissociation of the first O2 molecule from tetrameric Hb(II)-O2, indicating that in the R-state α and β chains are functionally heterogeneous and the tetramer and the dimer behave identically. Accordingly, the structural conformation of the α and β chains of the Hb dimer bound to Hp corresponds to that of the subunits of the Hb tetramer in the R-state.

Preparation and characterization of myoglobin reconstituted with Fe(II) oxaporphyrin: The monoanionic macrocycle provides unique cyanide binding behavior for the ferrous species

Abstract Iron-oxaporphyrin possessing two propionate side chains ( FeOP ) was synthesized as an artificial cofactor for myoglobin. The autoxidation of FeOP provides a ferric μ-oxo bridged diiron structure. The Fe II /Fe III redox potential of FeOP dimethyl ester in acetonitrile is +310 mV vs an Ag|AgCl electrode as determined by cyclic voltammetry. The value is positively shifted by 710 mV from that of the native heme cofactor, indicating that the ferrous species is stabilized in the oxaporphyrin framework. Myoglobin reconstituted with Fe II OP was prepared in the presence of dithionite and characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, ESI-TOF MS, and size exclusion chromatography. Interestingly, autoxidation of the reconstituted protein is found to release the cofactor from the heme pocket, suggesting that the affinity of Fe III OP for the apoprotein is dramatically reduced. Furthermore, cyanide binds to Fe II OP in the heme pocket of myoglobin with a binding constant of 1.2 × 10 4 M −1 , although native deoxymyoglobin has no affinity for cyanide. These findings demonstrate that FeOP is a new type of artificial cofactor for myoglobin which provides a ferrous species with unique characteristics.

Autonomous movement induced in chemically powered active soft-oxometalates using dithionite as fuel

Micromotors based on Mo7soft-oxometalates (SOMs) which are very easy to synthesize and move autonomously in the presence of dithionite which acts as the chemical fuel.

Heme Binding by Corynebacterium diphtheriae HmuT: Function and Heme Environment.

The heme uptake pathway (hmu) of Corynebacterium diphtheriae utilizes multiple proteins to bind and transport heme into the cell. One of these proteins, HmuT, delivers heme to the ABC transporter HmuUV. In this study, the axial ligation of the heme in ferric HmuT is probed by examination of wild-type (WT) HmuT and a series of conserved heme pocket residue mutants, H136A, Y235A, and M292A. Characterization by UV-visible, resonance Raman, and magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopies indicates that H136 and Y235 are the axial ligands in ferric HmuT. Consistent with this assignment of axial ligands, ferric WT and H136A HmuT are difficult to reduce while Y235A is reduced readily in the presence of dithionite. The FeCO Raman shifts in WT, H136A, and Y235A HmuT-CO complexes provide further evidence of the axial ligand assignments. Additionally, these frequencies provide insight into the nonbonding environment of the heme pocket. Ferrous Y235A and the Y235A-CO complex reveal that the imidazole of H136 exists in two forms, one neutral and one with imidazolate character, consistent with a hydrogen bond acceptor on the H136 side of the heme. The ferric fluoride complex of Y235A reveals the presence of at least one hydrogen bond donor on the Y235 side of the heme. Hemoglobin utilization assays showed that the axial Y235 ligand is required for heme uptake in HmuT.

Chemical and Biological Reduction of the Radical SAM Enzyme 7-Carboxy-7-deazaguanine [corrected] Synthase.

The radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) superfamily is a large and growing group of enzymes that conduct complex radical-mediated transformations. A one-electron reduction of SAM via the +1 state of the cubane [4Fe-4S] cluster generates a 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical, which initiates turnover. The [4Fe-4S] cluster must be reduced from its resting +2 state to the catalytically active +1 oxidation state by an electron. In practice, dithionite or the Escherichia coli flavodoxin (EcFldA)/ferredoxin (flavodoxin):NADP(+) oxidoreductase (Fpr)/NADPH system is used. Herein, we present a systematic investigation of the reductive activation of the radical SAM enzyme CDG synthase (BsQueE) from Bacillus subtilis comparing biological and chemical reductants. These data show that either of the flavodoxin homologues encoded by the B. subtilis genome, BsYkuN or BsYkuP, as well as a series of small molecule redox mediators, supports BsQueE activity. With dithionite as a reductant, the activity of BsQueE is ~75-fold greater in the presence of BsYkuN and BsYkuP compared to that in the presence of dithionite alone. By contrast, EcFldA supports turnover to ~10-fold greater levels than dithionite alone under the same conditions. Comparing the ratio of the rate of turnover to the apparent binding constant for the flavodoxin homologues reveals 10- and 240-fold preferences for BsYkuN over BsYkuP and EcFldA, respectively. The differential activation of the enzyme cannot be explained by the abortive cleavage of SAM. We conclude from these observations that the differential activation of BsQueE by Fld homologues may reside in the details of the interaction between the flavodoxin and the radical SAM enzyme.

Dph3 Is an Electron Donor for Dph1-Dph2 in the First Step of Eukaryotic Diphthamide Biosynthesis

Diphthamide, the target of diphtheria toxin, is a unique posttranslational modification on translation elongation factor 2 (EF2) in archaea and eukaryotes. The biosynthesis of diphthamide was proposed to involve three steps. The first step is the transfer of the 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl group from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) to the histidine residue of EF2, forming a C–C bond. Previous genetic studies showed this step requires four proteins in eukaryotes, Dph1–Dph4. However, the exact molecular functions for the four proteins are unknown. Previous study showed that Pyrococcus horikoshii Dph2 (PhDph2), a novel iron-sulfur cluster-containing enzyme, forms a homodimer and is sufficient for the first step of diphthamide biosynthesis in vitro. Here we demonstrate by in vitro reconstitution that yeast Dph1 and Dph2 form a complex (Dph1-Dph2) that is equivalent to the homodimer of PhDph2 and is sufficient to catalyze the first step in vitro in the presence of dithionite as the reductant. We further demonstrate that yeast Dph3 (also known as KTI11), a CSL-type zinc finger protein, can bind iron and in the reduced state can serve as an electron donor to reduce the Fe-S cluster in Dph1-Dph2. Our study thus firmly establishes the functions for three of the proteins involved in eukaryotic diphthamide biosynthesis. For most radical SAM enzymes in bacteria, flavodoxins and flavodoxin reductases are believed to serve as electron donors for the Fe-S clusters. The finding that Dph3 is an electron donor for the Fe-S clusters in Dph1-Dph2 is thus interesting and opens up new avenues of research on electron transfer to Fe-S proteins in eukaryotic cells.

Humanin Attenuated the Change of Voltage‐Dependent Potassium Currents in Hippocampal Neurons Induced by Anoxia

Since humanin, a 24-amino acid polypeptide, was first found in the surviving neurons of human patients with Alzheimer disease in 2001, it was reported that humanin protected neurons from beta-amyloid-induced apoptosis by binding to specific receptor and triggering a Jak/STAT prosurvival pathway 1. As we know, apoptosis and Jak/STAT prosurvival pathway were also mechanisms involved in cell responses induced by anoxia, ischemia, and so on 2. But the effects of humanin on neurons induced by anoxia or ischemia remain unknown. In particular, anoxia responses of cells occurred through a number of mechanisms including electrophysiological mechanism. Voltage-dependent potassium ion currents, such as transient outward potassium current (Ito) and delayed rectifier potassium current (IK), are known to initiate apoptosis in Alzheimer disease 3. So, based on the hypothesis that humanin could protect neuronal cells from anoxia impairment as well as from beta-amyloid impairment, the effect of humanin (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) 2 mmol/L on activity and on potassium currents of hippocampal neurons in presence of dithionite (Sigma) was investigated. The neuronal viability and potassium currents in neurons being cultured for 12 days were determined by MTT method and patch clamp technique, after dissociated from hippocampus of neonatal Wistar rats as reported 4. Voltage-dependent potassium ion currents, both IK and Ito (shown in Figure 1A–C), were recorded using a patch clamp amplifier (EPC-10, HEKA, Pfalz, Lambrecht, Germany) and Pulse 8.5 software (HEKA) by whole-cell manner. Tetrodotoxin 1 μmol/L was employed to abolish sodium ion current of neurons. Cultures treated by external solution containing dithionite 2 mmol/L for 5 min by a continuous perfusion pump were referred to as anoxia, as dithionite deprived oxygen out of the neurons 5. Compared with that of controls, the viability of neurons treated by dithionite 2 mmol/L for 6 h decreased to 63 ± 10% (n = 10) significantly (P < 0.05),but not the neurons treated by mixture of humanin and dithionite 2 mmol/L for 6 h. Meanwhile, neuronal viability was not decreased significantly by anoxia, even if anoxia could change potassium current properties. Anoxia significantly decreased Ito amplitudes (P < 0.05), but had no significant effect on IK amplitude. IK amplitudes of neurons were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) by humanin or by mixture of humanin and anoxia. Pretreatment with humanin for 5 min, anoxia did not decrease Ito amplitudes significantly any more. While humanin and dithionite were washed out, IK and Ito amplitudes recovered partly within several minutes. The effect of humanin on Ito amplitudes was not found in the present experiment (shown in Figure 1D,E). Steady-state activation of IK and Ito was fitted by Boltzmann function as follows: G/Gmax = [1 + exp(V - V1/2)/k]−1, in which Gmax is the maximal membrane conductance, V1/2 is the potential at which the conductance is half steady activation, and k is a factor describing the slope of the activation curves. As shown in Table 1, after anoxia, V1/2 of IK and Ito was altered significantly (P < 0.05) toward depolarization. On the contrary, humanin shifted V1/2 of IK significantly toward repolarization (P < 0.05), but not altered V1/2 of Ito. Meanwhile, mixture of humanin and anoxia had no effect on V1/2 of IK or Ito, and neither humanin nor anoxia altered k slope as well. Potassium efflux and intracellular potassium depletion contributed to hypoxia-triggered apoptosis of central neurons 6. Decrease in IK by humanin in the present investigation, which was consistent with the evidence that potassium channel blockers attenuated hypoxia-induced neuronal death 7, revealed humanin's neuroprotective effects. But on the other hand, a mild transient hypoxia, usually referred to as hypoxia precondition, decreased anoxia-induced apoptosis in cultured hippocampal neurons 8. So, IK might not be influenced in the case of hypoxia precondition, which was supported by the present result that amplitudes of IK were not altered significantly by anoxia imitating hypoxia precondition. The different effects of humanin and anoxia on Boltzmann function parameter V1/2 hinted the dissimilarity of their effects on neuronal membrane conductance. Anoxia promoted excitability of neuron, while humanin antagonized this effect. Moreover, Ito was significantly depressed under hypoxic conditions 9, and upregulation of Ito protected neurons against cerebral ischemia 10. Present result of humanin protecting decrease in Ito amplitude due to anoxia suggested that humanin supported voltage-dependent potassium channels by inhibiting the effects of anoxia. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Purification of the photosynthetic reaction center from Heliobacterium modesticaldum

We have developed a purification protocol for photoactive reaction centers (HbRC) from Heliobacterium modesticaldum. HbRCs were purified from solubilized membranes in two sequential chromatographic steps, resulting in the isolation of a fraction containing a single polypeptide, which was identified as PshA by LC-MS/MS of tryptic peptides. All polypeptides reported earlier as unknown proteins (in Heinnickel et al., Biochemistry 45:6756-6764, 2006; Romberger et al., Photosynth Res 104:293-303, 2010) are now identified by mass spectrometry to be the membrane-bound cytochrome c (553) and four different ABC-type transporters. The purified PshA homodimer binds the following pigments: 20 bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) g, two BChl g', two 8(1)-OH-Chl a (F), and one 4,4'-diaponeurosporene. It lacks the PshB polypeptide binding the F(A) and F(B) [4Fe-4S] clusters. It is active in charge separation and exhibits a trapping time of 23 ps, as judged by time-resolved fluorescence studies. The charge recombination rate of the P(800) (+)F(X)(-) state is 10-15 ms, as seen before. The purified HbRC core was able to reduce cyanobacterial flavodoxin in the light, exhibiting a K (M) of 10 μM and a k (cat) of 9.5 s(-1) under near-saturating light. There are ~1.6 menaquinones per HbRC in the purified complex. Illumination of frozen HbRC in the presence of dithionite can cause creation of a radical at g = 2.0046, but this is not a semiquinone. Furthermore, we show that high-purity HbRCs are very stable in anoxic conditions and even remain active in the presence of oxygen under low light.

Kinetics and mechanism of propachlor reductive transformation through nucleophilic substitution by dithionite

Chloroacetanilide herbicides are extensively used in the control of weeds and have widely resulted in nonpoint contamination of groundwater and soil resources. In the attempt to achieve better remediation for herbicide-contaminated resources, we investigated the reductive transformation of propachlor through nucleophilic substitution by dithionite ( S 2 O 4 2 - ). Results showed that propachlor underwent rapid dechlorination in the presence of dithionite. The reaction was of second-order kinetics and strongly influenced by pH and temperature. At pH 7.0 and temperature 308 K, the rate constant of propachlor dechlorination was estimated at 123.4 ± 0.7 M −1 h −1. Within the pH range tested (3.0–9.5), higher pH promoted the ionization of dithionite, resulting in a more active nucleophilic reagent of S 2 O 4 2 - to enhance the propachlor transformation rate. Similarly, higher reaction temperature overcame the activation barrier of steric hindrance in propachlor structure and accelerated the excitation of dithionite, in which higher rate constants of propachlor reductive dechlorination were obtained. Dechlorination was found to be the first and necessary step of propachlor nucleophilic substitution by dithionite. Sulfur nucleophile substituted compounds, including propachlor dithionite, propachlor ethanesulfonic acid (ESA), and hydroxyl propachlor, were identified as the dechlorination products of propachlor, indicating bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (S N2) as the mechanism for propachlor transformation initiated by dithionite.

Kinetics of Reaction of Nitrite with Deoxy Hemoglobin after Rapid Deoxygenation or Predeoxygenation by Dithionite Measured in Solution and Bound to the Cytoplasmic Domain of Band 3 (SLC4A1)

The reaction of deoxyhemoglobin with nitrite was characterized in the presence of dithionite using hemoglobin in solution or bound to the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (CDB3). Deoxyhemoglobin was generated by predeoxygenation (nitrogen flushing followed by addition of dithionite), or transiently, by rapidly mixing oxyhemoglobin with nitrite and dithionite simultaneously. Wavelength-dependent kinetic studies confirmed the formation of nitrosyl hemoglobin. Furthermore, the rate of reaction was independent of dithionite concentration, indicating that dithionite does not reduce nitrite to nitric oxide directly. Model simulation studies showed that superoxide anion generated by dithionite reduction of molecular oxygen was not a factor in the reaction kinetics. CDB3-bound hemoglobin reacted faster with nitrite than did hemoglobin in solution. This difference was most pronounced for predeoxygenated hemoglobin and least pronounced for rapidly deoxygenated hemoglobin. The smaller difference observed in the rapid deoxygenation experiment was associated with much faster kinetics compared to the predeoxygenation experiment. Model simulation studies showed, and literature evidence indicates, that faster kinetics in the rapid deoxygenation experiment were related to the initial presence of R-state Hb(II)O 2 alphabeta dimers, both in dilute solution and when bound to CDB3. Thus, rapidly deoxygenated CDB3-bound hemoglobin alphabeta dimers react 5-fold faster with nitrite than predeoxygenated tetrameric hemoglobin in solution. Faster nitrite reductase kinetics for CDB3-bound hemoglobin suggests the possibility of preferential nitric oxide generation at the inner surface of the erythrocyte membrane, thus coupling the release of oxygen from hemoglobin to the production and successful release of nitric oxide from the erythrocyte, and the regulation of blood flow.

Temperature-Dependent Energy Gap of the Primary Charge Separation in Photosystem I: Study of Delayed Fluorescence at 77−268 K

The dynamics of fluorescence decay and charge recombination were studied in the ether-extracted photosystem I reaction center isolated from spinach with picosecond resolution over a wide time range up to 100 ns. At all temperatures from 268 to 77 K, a slow fluorescence decay component with a 30-40 ns lifetime was detected. This component was interpreted as a delayed fluorescence emitted from the singlet excited state of the primary donor P700*, which is repopulated through charge recombination that was increased by the lack of secondary acceptor phylloquinone in the sample. Analysis of the fluorescence kinetics allowed estimation of the standard free-energy difference -DeltaG between P700* and the primary radical pair (P700(+)A0(-)) state over a wide temperature range. The values of -DeltaG were estimated to be 160/36 meV at 268/77 K, indicating its high sensitivity to temperature. A temperature-dependent -DeltaG value was also estimated in the delayed fluorescence of the isolated photosystem I in which the secondary acceptor quinone was partially prereduced by preillumination in the presence of dithionite. The results revealed that the temperature-dependent -DeltaG is a universal phenomenon common with the purple bacterial reaction centers, photosystem II and photosystem I reaction centers.

Transition from long- to short-lived transient pores in giant vesicles in an aqueous medium

We have observed large pores in the membrane of giant vesicles in an aqueous medium. The lifetime of the pores can reach 2 min and their size (a few micrometers) enables their visualization by fluorescence microscopy. These pores are obtained thanks to a destabilization of the membrane due to the synergistic action of a cone-shaped and nitrobenzodiazole (NBD) labeled phospholipid illuminated in the presence of dithionite. The opening of the pore occurs immediately after illumination starts so that it can be accurately triggered. A concomitant decrease of the vesicle radius is observed; we interpret it as a solubilization of the membrane. Depending on the rate of this solubilization, long- or short-lived pores were observed. At the transition between both regimes for a 30 microm vesicle, the solubilization rate was about 1/300 s{-1} . In order to interpret these observations, we have revisited the current model of pore opening to take into account this solubilization. This proposed model along with simulations enables us to prove that solubilization explains why the large long-lived pores are observed even in an aqueous medium. The model also predicts the solubilization rate at the transition between a single long-lived pore and a cascade of short-lived pores.

ESR Signal of the Iron−Sulfur Center FXand Its Function in the Homodimeric Reaction Center ofHeliobacterium modesticaldum,

Electron transfer in the membranes and the type I reaction center (RC) core protein complex isolated from Heliobacterium modesticaldum was studied by optical and ESR spectroscopy. The RC is a homodimer of PshA proteins. In the isolated membranes, illumination at 14 K led to accumulation of a stable ESR signal of the reduced iron-sulfur center F(B)(-) in the presence of dithiothreitol, and an additional 20 min illumination at 230 K induced the spin-interacting F(A)(-)/F(B)(-) signal at 14 K. During illumination at 5 K in the presence of dithionite, we detected a new transient signal with the following values: g(z)= 2.040, g(y)= 1.911, and g(x)= 1.896. The signal decayed rapidly with a 10 ms time constant after the flash excitation at 5 K and was attributed to the F(X)(-)-type center, although the signal shape was more symmetrical than that of F(X)(-) in photosystem I. In the purified RC core protein, laser excitation induced the absorption change of a special pair, P800. The flash-induced P800(+) signal recovered with a fast 2-5 ms time constant below 150 K, suggesting charge recombination with F(X)(-). Partial destruction of the RC core protein complex by a brief exposure to air increased the level of the P800(+)A(0)(-) state that gave a lifetime (t(1/2)) of 100 ns at 77 K. The reactions of F(X) and quinone were discussed on the basis of the three-dimensional structural model of RC that predicts the conserved F(X)-binding site and the quinone-binding site, which is more hydrophilic than that in the photosystem I RC.

Arsenic cycling within the water column of a small lake receiving contaminated ground-water discharge

The fate of arsenic discharged from contaminated ground water to a small, shallow lake at a hazardous waste site was examined to understand the role of iron (hydr)oxide precipitation–dissolution processes within the water column. Field and laboratory observations indicate that arsenic solubility was controlled, in part, by the extent of ferrous iron oxidation–precipitation and arsenic sorption occurring near the lake chemocline. Laboratory experiments were conducted using site-derived water to assess the impact of these coupled processes on the removal of dissolved arsenic from the water column. The measured concentration of organic carbon from epilimnetic and hypolimnetic water sampled from the lake was approximately 1.3 mM and 17.0 mM, respectively. Experiments conducted with these samples along with synthetic controls containing no organic carbon demonstrated that observed rates of formation and crystallinity of the precipitated iron (hydr)oxide were dependent on the concentration of organic carbon in the lake water. Increasing dissolved organic matter concentration did not significantly interfere with ferrous iron oxidation, but inhibited iron (hydr)oxide precipitation and subsequent sorption of arsenic. For experiments using water sampled from the lake hypolimnion there was a strong relationship between the fraction of precipitated iron and the fraction of sorbed arsenic. Laboratory- and field-derived iron (hydr)oxide precipitates were characterized to evaluate mineralogy and arsenic distribution. In-situ suspended solids and precipitates formed in laboratory experiments using hypolimnetic water were identified as poorly crystalline 2-line ferrihydrite. These solids were readily dissolved in the presence of dithionite indicating that elevated dissolved iron and arsenic observed in the hypolimnion resulted, in part, from in-situ reductive dissolution of settling 2-line ferrihydrite near the sediment–water interface. These observations support the contention that the levels of dissolved arsenic observed in the shallow lake can be attributed to ground-water discharge and internal recycling of arsenic within the water column. The efficiency of the process resulting in iron (hydr)oxide precipitation and arsenic sorption limits the downgradient export of arsenic derived from ground-water discharge.

Conformational changes and their role in non-radiative energy dissipation in photosystem II reaction centres

Accumulation of reduced pheophytin in photosystem II under illumination at low redox potential is known to be accompanied by a pronounced decrease of a chlorophyll fluorescence yield. Simultaneous measurement of this fluorescence quenching and absorbance changes in photosystem II reaction centres, in the presence of dithionite, showed each event to have a different temperature dependence. While fluorescence quenching was suppressed more than 20 times when measured at 77 K, pheophytin accumulation decreased only 5 times. At 77 K, the fluorescence was quenched considerably, but only in those reaction centres where reduced pheophytin had been accumulated at room temperature before sample freezing. This showed that the accumulation of reduced pheophytin above 240 K was accompanied by an additional, most probably conformational, change in the reaction centre that substantially enhanced non-radiative dissipation of excitation energy.