Evidence of weak ferromagnetism in doped plasticized polyaniline (PANI-DDoESSA)0.5 from electron spin resonance measurements.

X-band electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements have been performed on a conducting free-standing film of polyaniline plasticized and protonated with di-n-dodecyl ester of sulfosuccinic acid (DDoESSA). The magnetic field was applied parallel and perpendicular to the plane of the film. At around 75 K a transition is observed from Pauli susceptibility to a localized state in which the spin 1/2 polarons behave as spin 1/2 dimers. A rough estimation of the intradimer and interdimer exchange constants is obtained. Below 5 K, ESR data reveal a weak ferromagnetism with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya vector mainly oriented in the plane of the film. The existence of a relatively well-defined n-fold axis along the chain direction in the crystalline regions confers a symmetry compatible with such analysis.

Hydrophobic interactions between spin-label 5-SASL and humic acid as revealed by ESR spectroscopy.

The spin-label probe 5-SASL (stearic acid spin-label with nitroxide free radical in position 5 of hydrocarbon chain), detectable by electron spin resonance (ESR), was tested to evaluate pH and reaction time dependencies of hydrophobic interactions with humic acid (HA). Strong changes were observed in 5-SASL ESR spectra in the presence of HA suspensions below pH 5, with disappearance of the three isotropic narrow hyperfine lines of the nitroxide group (typical of free spin-label) and formation of "immobilized" 5-SASL spectra. These changes were interpreted as due to 5-SASL bonding with hydrophobic groups of HA, by van der Waals forces and/or hydrogen bonds, in very hydrophobic sites (probably water-protected) existent in HA below pH 5. However, such sites are absent above pH 5, as demonstrated by a specific experiment to check 5-SASL spectra reversibility. On the other hand, the HA suspension was more efficient in dissolving 5-SASL than water above pH 5. This fact also suggests the existence of "surface" hydrophobic sites, where the spin-label binds to HA while maintaining the nitroxide group in contact with water, as evidenced by the typical free spin-label spectrum and hyperfine interaction splitting (a0 = 1.574 mT). Also experiments checking 5-SASL reversibility bonding with HA were consistent with the supramolecular association model to HA.

Effect of heme iron valence state on the conformation of cytochrome c and its association with membrane interfaces. A CD and EPR investigation.

Recently cytochrome c has been mentioned as an important mediator in the events of cellular oxidative stress and apoptosis. To investigate the influence of charged interfaces on the conformation of cytochrome c, the CD and magnetic circular dichroic behavior of ferric and ferrous cytochrome c in homogeneous medium and in phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine/cardiolipin and dicetylphosphate liposomes was studied in the 300-600 and 200-320 nm wavelength region. EPR spectra demonstrate that the association of cytochrome c with membranes promotes alterations of the crystal field symmetry and spin state of the heme Fe(3+). The studies also include the effect of P(i), NaCl, and CaCl(2). Magnetic circular dichroism and CD results show that the interaction of both ferrous and ferric cytochrome c with charged interfaces promotes conformational changes in the alpha-helix content, tertiary structure, and heme iron spin state. Moreover, the association of cytochrome c with different liposomes is sensitive to the heme iron valence state. The more effective association with membranes occurs with ferrous cytochrome c. Dicetylphosphate liposomes, as a negatively charged membrane model, promoted a more pronounced conformational modification in the cytochrome c structure. A decrease in the lipid/protein association is detected in the presence of increasing amounts of CaCl(2), NaCl, and P(i), in response to the increase of the ionic strength.

Modifications in heme iron of free and vesicle bound cytochrome c by tert-butyl hydroperoxide: a magnetic circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance investigation.

To characterize changes to the heme and the influence of membrane lipids in the reaction of cytochrome c with peroxides, we studied the reaction of cytochrome c with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tert-BuOOH) by magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and direct electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in the presence and absence of different liposomes. Direct low-temperature (11 degrees K) EPR analysis of the cytochrome c heme iron on exposure to tert-BuOOH shows a gradual (180 s) conversion of the low-spin form to a high-spin Fe(III) species of rhombic symmetry (g = 4.3), with disappearance of a prior peroxyl radical signal (g(o) = 2.014). The conversion to high spin precedes Soret band bleaching, observable by UV/Vis spectroscopy and by magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) at room temperature, that indicates loss of iron coordination by the porphyrin ring. The presence of cardiolipin-containing liposomes delayed formation of the peroxyl radical and conversion to high-spin iron, while dicetylphosphate (DCP) liposomes accelerated these changes. Correspondingly, bleaching of cytochrome c by tert-BuOOH at room temperature was accelerated by several negatively charged liposome preparations, and inhibited by mitochondrial-mimetic phosphatidylcholinephosphatidylethanolaminecardiolipin (PCPECL) liposomes. Concomitant with bleaching, spin-trapping measurements with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyroline-N-oxide showed that while the relative production of peroxyl, alkoxyl, and alkyl radicals was unaffected by DCP liposomes, PCPECL liposomes decreased the spin-trapped alkoxyl radical signal by 50%. The EPR results show that the primary initial change on exposure of cytochrome c to tert-BuOOH is a change to a high-spin Fe(III) species, and together with MCD measurements show that unsaturated cardiolipin-containing lipid membranes influence the interaction of tert-BuOOH with cytochrome c heme iron, to alter radical production and decrease damage to the cytochrome.

Probing DMPG vesicle surface with a cationic aqueous soluble spin label.

A small, highly aqueous soluble, deuterated, cationic spin label, 4-trimethylammonium-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-d17-1-oxyl iodide (dCAT1), was used to directly monitor the negatively charged DMPG vesicle surface in order to test a recent suggestion (Riske et al., Chem. Phys. Lipids, 89 (1997) 31-44) that alterations in the surface potential accompanied apparent phase transitions observed by light scattering. The temperature dependence of the label partition between the lipid surface and the aqueous medium indicated an increase in the surface potential at the gel to liquid-crystal transition, supporting the previous suggestion. Results at the phase transition occurring at a higher temperature were less definitive. Although some change in the dCAT1 ESR spectra was observed, the interpretation of the phenomena is still rather unclear. DMPG surface potentials were estimated from the dCAT1 partition ratios (surface label moles/total label moles), using a simple two-sites model, where the electrostatic potential is zero everywhere but at the vesicle surface, and the interaction between the spin label and the membrane surface is chiefly electrostatic. The Gouy-Chapman-Stern model predicts surface potentials similar to those observed, although the measured decrease in the surface potential with ionic strength is somewhat steeper than that predicted by the model.

Structural and thermodynamic studies of KM+, a d-mannose binding lectin from Artocarpus integrifolia seeds.

The KM+ lectin exhibits a novel and unusual circular dichroism (CD) spectrum that could be explained by a high proline content that would be inducing deformation of the beta-structure and/or unusual turns. KM+ was shown to be a very rigid lectin, which was very stable under a broad variety of conditions (urea, guanidine, hydrolysis, pH, etc.). Only incubation for 60 min at 333-338 K and extreme basic pH were able to induce conformational changes which could be observed by CD and fluorescence measurements. Data from CD are typical for protein denaturing associated with changes in the overall secondary structure. Data from high-performance size exclusion chromatography (SEC) showed that the denatured forms produced at pH 12.0 are eluted in clusters that co-elute with the native forms. A significant contribution from the tyrosines to the fluorescence emission upon denaturation was observed above 328 K. In fact at 328 K some broadening of the emission spectrum takes place followed by the appearance of a shoulder (approx. 305 nm) at 333 K and above. The sensitivity of tryptophan fluorescence to the addition of sugar suggests a close proximity of the tryptophan residues to the sugar binding site, K(a)=(2.9+/-0.6)x10(3) M(-1). The fraction of chromophore accessible to the quencher obtained is f(a)=0.43+/-0.08, suggesting that approximately 50% of the tryptophan residues are not accessible to quenching by d-mannose. KM+ thermal denaturation was found to be irreversible and was analyzed using a two-state model (N-->D). The results obtained for the activation energy and transition temperature from the equilibrium CD studies were: activation energy, E(a)=134+/-11 kJ/mol and transition temperature, T(m)=339+/-1 K, and from the fluorescence data: E(a)=179+/-18 kJ/mol and T(m)=337+/-1 K. Kinetic studies gave the following values: E(a)=108+/-18 kJ/mol and E(a)=167+/-12 kJ/mol for CD and fluorescence data, respectively.

Charge- and pH-dependent binding sites for dibucaine in ionic micelles: a fluorescence study.

Binding of micromolar concentrations of the local anesthetic dibucaine to micelles of cationic, zwitterionic and anionic detergents was studied using the fluorescence emission of dibucaine. Difference in quantum yields for charged and neutral dibucaine allowed to obtain shifts of pKa values due to binding. Estimates for the electrostatic potential affecting the tertiary amine of dibucaine were obtained from the pKa shifts. Change of fluorescence emission upon binding allowed to obtain the binding constants of both charged and neutral dibucaine to the micelles. The binding constant for the neutral form is essentially independent of micelle charge and of specific differences in detergent structure. Consistency between the ratio of neutral to cationic dibucaine binding constants and the measured pKa shift was tested. For LPC micelles complete agreement was found. For CTAC, however, the ratio of binding constants does not explain the pKa shift. The discrepancy between the results is used to estimate the errors involved upon neglecting non-coulombic electrostatic interactions of drugs to charged membrane surfaces. Fluorescence quenching with sodium iodide and nitroxide stearic acid derivatives allowed a depth profiling of the drug in the micelles.

Depth profiling of dibucaine in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles by fluorescence quenching.

The location of molecules of the local anesthetic dibucaine in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles (SRV) was determined using the quenching of its intrinsic fluorescence by iodide and by nitroxide-labeled stearic acids (SASL) with the nitroxide group at different positions of the fatty acyl chain. The molar ratios of dibucaine to Ca(2+)-ATPase in the samples were less than 1. The acid-base titration of membrane bound dibucaine revealed a pK of 9.1, showing a negligible shift upon binding. The quenching data were obtained at pH 6.8 and are therefore related to protonated dibucaine. Quenching by iodide showed SRV-bound dibucaine to be more protected from collisions with iodide anion than dibucaine in buffer or even in neutral micelles. This shows the influence of negatively charged lipids in keeping iodide away from the ionic diffuse layer of the membrane surface where the dibucaine tertiary amine might be located. Analysis of the SASL quenching data indicates that dibucaine molecules are at a shallow position in the membrane bilayer. Their average depth was found to be at most that of the fourth carbon atom of the fatty acyl chain. The results do not exclude a preferential site for dibucaine in Ca(2+)-ATPase, but if there is such site it must be located at the protein/lipid interface.

Effect of hydration in metHb: reversible changes monitored by ESR of iron.

The dehydration of human and bovine methemoglobins was monitored using ESR spectroscopy of the iron signal. The interconversion of the Fe(III) signal between the high spin form (at g approximately 6) in solution and low spin form (at g approximately 2) was quantitatively studied as a function of hydration. The dehydration process leads also to a loss of paramagnetism resulting in the appearance of about 40% Fe(II) below 0.40 grH2O/grHb. The remaining 60% of Fe(III) ESR signal is distributed as the residual high spin form (at g approximately 6, 5%) and low spin form (hemichromes H and P, 55%). The formation of hemichrome P was explained as resulting from the coordination of the cysteine residue at beta 93 with the iron atom which follows the rupture of the proximal histidine bond. Experiments with hemoglobins where the sulphur atom of cysteine beta 93 was blocked (N-ethylmaleimide) did not showed the hemichrome P, confirming the involvement of the sulphur atom. This implies that the dehydration process induces displacements and torsion of the F helix, drastically changing the iron coordination at proximal site. In agreement with this proposition the Fe(II) symmetry is pentacoordinated with the disrupted bond to the proximal histidine at fifth coordination. This is also supported by ESR experiments with nitrosyl complex at low hydrations. All conformational changes were reversibly modulated by hydration degree and partially by lyophilization rate. A one-cycle dehydration of bovine hemoglobin followed by solubilization shows 100% reversibility of hemichrome P. Increasing the number of cycles of dehydration-hydration reduces the reversibility degree. With three cycles a reversibility of 70%-75% is observed. The level of 0.40 grH2O/grHb was the critical hydration for the molecules to return to aquo met form and correspond also to a minimal water content necessary to cover all protein surface as obtained from other techniques.

The mechanism of reaction of nitrosyl with met- and oxymyoglobin: an ESR study.

In this ESR work we have studied the pentacoordinate symmetry in horse, whale and sperm-whale myoglobin (Mb) in different physical states such as solution and powder. Experiments were performed in which the following parameters were varied: the sample temperature, pH, reaction time with NO, and NO concentration. The results enabled us to explain the NO reaction mechanism in the oxy and met forms of myoglobin. The study of powder samples at different degrees of hydration allowed us to identify the diamagnetic intermediate species existent in the reaction of NO with met-Mb proposed in the literature. The results presented explain adequately the pH effect and temperature dependence observed in the ESR spectra obtained using the met-Mb sample solutions from Sigma Chemical Co., which consist of a mixture (13%) of Mb-O2.

Characterization of protein spin labeling by maleimide: evidence for nitroxide reduction.

A quantitative determination of maleimide spin label (MAL) binding in oxi and met hemoglobin (Hb) and bovine serum albumin are investigated using double integration to the ESR signal. This determination permitted the observation that a considerable fraction of MAL is reduced, losing its paramagnetism. Experiments using the same spin label with myoglobin and Hb with blocked-SH groups, where reduction was not observed, indicate the involvement of SH groups in the process. The 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidino-1-oxyl spin label (which is not able to bind in the SH group) is reduced too, but the dependence on the molar ratio is different in comparison with the MAL case. In both cases the reduction percentage depends on the molar ratio spin label to protein and to the protein concentration. In order to obtain the total SH groups labeled (two in the Hb case) it is necessary to use an excessive amount of label (around 18:1) in the 0.5 mM Hb concentration.

An ESR study of nitrosyl-Aplysia brasiliana myoglobin and nitrosyl annelidae Glossoscolex paulistus erythrocruorin.

The nitrosyl derivatives of Annelidae Glossoscolex paulistus hemoglobin (an earth worm erythrocruorin (Ec AGp)) and Aplysia brasiliana myoglobin (Mb Apb) are studied using ESR spectroscopy. These two proteins have a quite similar ESR spectra at 100 K, but a different temperature behaviour. The temperature dependence of the nitrosyl Mb Apb spectrum is in good agreement with the Boltzmann distribution. In the case of nitrosyl-Ec AGp, the results are explained by the existence of two types of spectrum in thermodynamic equilibrium, with delta H = 9.08 kJ/mol, delta S = 47.15 J/mol and T1/2 = 193 K. There is a great similarity of the nitrosyl-Ec AGp spectra with those reported for elephant myoglobin, suggesting the presence of the same heme environment with a glutamine residue in the distal site. The pH dependence of the spectrum of nitrosyl-Mb Apb shows that the affinity of nitrosyl binding is higher at high pH (7.3) than at low pH (4.6). The ESR parameters are the same for these two pH values.

The acid-alkaline transition of a sea turtle myoglobin: coexistence at high pH of high- and low-spin forms.

The microenvironment of the iron in a sea turtle Dermochelys coriacea myoglobin is studied using the spectroscopic techniques EPR and optical absorption. Optical absorption spectra in the visible region suggest a great homology between turtle Mb and other myoglobins, such as those from whale, human and elephant. The pK of the acid-alkaline transition is 8.4 slightly lower than the pK of whale and equal to that of elephant myoglobin. The EPR spectrum at pH 7.0 is characteristic of a high-spin configuration with axial symmetry (gx = gy = 5.95). At higher pH, this signal changes in a way different from that observed for whale myoglobin. We observe for turtle Mb both the formation of a low-spin configuration with rhombic symmetry (gx = 2.56, gy = 2.20, gz = 1.90) and of a high-spin species with rhombic distortion (gx = 6.79, gy = 5.18, gz = 2.12). This suggests a lowering of symmetry at the haem, so that now the x and y directions are no more equivalent. This can be explained by amino acid substitution at the distal positions of haem or to off-axial positioning of distal residues. The coexistence at high pH (pH 11.0) of these two spin forms could be explained by the existence of two protein conformations, in which the crystal field splitting factor, delta, and the electron exchange energy are of the same order, allowing the presence of different configurations simultaneously. The presence of different kinds of haem is ruled out by the experiments with nitrosyl turtle Mb and turtle Mb-F showing spectra very similar to those of whale myoglobin. The pk of the acid-alkaline transition, 8.5, obtained from EPR spectra, agrees very well with results from optical absorption.

On the interaction of small molecules with hemoglobin: orientational effects of hydration layers in protein crystal.

The spin label TEMPO does not show a binding to hemoglobin molecule in solution. In the crystal however the spin label is bound and a considerable anisotropy in the ESR spectra is observed similar to that with covalent spin labeling. Since TEMPO is a small spherical molecule the anisotropy should be a consequence of the ordering in the crystal packing observed for the hydration layers. Besides the anisotropic sites (one per asymmetric unit) an isotropic signal is apparent. The population of these sites is sensitive to the temperature and above around 30 degrees C a transition is observed of the label from the anisotropic site to the isotropic one. This is consistent with a change in the hydration structure above this temperature so that the spin label is sensitive to the reorganization of water or crystallization. Results of simulations based on the relaxation theory in liquids are compared for different hemoglobin physical states: crystal, powder and solution. It is shown that the ESR parameters obtained in the crystal are very different from those used for spectral stimulation at low temperature.

On the interaction of Cu2+ with the heavy dipeptide Gly-Trp.

Distinct species are observed upon complexing of glycil-triptophan with Cu2+. The spectroscopic characterization of these complexes formed in different pH was made using visible light absorption (350-1100 nm) and electron paramagnetic resonance at room and liquid-nitrogen temperatures, with the samples in aqueous solution at the ratio of 10L:1M. Three species were identified in the following pH ranges: 4.0-6.0, 6.5-11.0, and above 12.00. The spectroscopic data and pK values of the Gly-Trp deprotonatable groups (in the presence of the metal) suggest that the complexes are CuL2(pH approximately 5.0), CuL(H2O). The complex above pH = 12.00 showed the bulky effect of the tryptophan side chain on the stereochemistry of the complex. The square planar symmetry is destroyed and a distorted tetahedral symmetry is achieved: the hyperfine parameter Az is reduced towards the value that occurs in blue proteins and the lowering of axial symmetry can be viewed by an increase in [gx-gy]. The tridentate complex CuL(H2O) was crystallized and single crystal measurements gave the molecular gyromagnetic tensor, but spin-spin interaction between neighbor ions masked the copper hyperfine interaction.

Electron paramagnetic resonance of Cu2+:Mb single crystal. Conformational changes.

Copper introduced into met-myoglobin crystals occupies various sites as indicated by electron paramagnetic resonance parameters. Cu2+ (A) is probably liganded to histidine A10, lysine A14, and asparagine GH4 (Banaszak et al., 1965) and shows superhyperfine interaction with a single (imidazole) nitrogen. Cu2+ (B) and Cu2+ (C) correspond to other anisotropic sites described in less detail. Cu2+ (A) exhibits a transition to an isotropic form with a transition temperature of 40.5 degrees C. This transition indicates a conformational change in myoglobin and could correspond to a motion of A helix away from the GH section. The transition temperature is 7 degrees C higher than the one previously reported (Atanasov, 1971) for myoglobin in solution.