Naphthol-based fluorescent sensors for aluminium ion and application to bioimaging.

Three naphthol Schiff base-type fluorescent sensors, 1,3-Bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthylideneamino)propane (L1), 1,3-Bis(1-naphthylideneamino)-2-hydroxypropane (L2) and 1,3-Bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthylideneamino)-2-hydroxypropane (L3), have been synthesized. Their recognition abilities for Al(3+) are studied by fluorescence spectra. Coordination with Al(3+) inhibited the CN isomerization of Schiff base which intensely increase the fluorescence of L1-L3. Possessing a suitable space coordination structure, L3 is a best selective probe for Al(3+) over other metal ions in MeOH-HEPES buffer (3/7, V/V, pH=6.6, 25°C, λem=435nm). A turn-on ratio over 140-fold is triggered with the addition of 1.0 equiv. Al(3+) to L3. The binding constant Ka of L3-Al(3+) is found to be 1.01×10(6.5)M(-1) in a 1:1 complex mode. The detection limit for Al(3+) is 0.05µM. Theoretical calculations have also been included in support of the configuration of the L3-Al(3+) complex. Importantly, the probe L3 has been successfully used for fluorescence imaging in colon cancer SW480 cells.

Efficient Expression and Purification of Recombinant Human Enteropeptidase Light Chain in Esherichia coli

Human enterokinase (synonym: enteropeptidase, EC 3.4.21.9) light chain (hEKL) gene was designed and artificially synthesized with built-in codon blas towards Escherichia coli codon preference. The synthetic hEKL gene was cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pMAL-s and transferred into the expression strain E. coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant hEKL protein with a maltose binding protein (MBP) tag was expressed at high levels in soluble form, which yielded about 42% of the total cellular protein. The target protein was then purified to the homogeneity (> 95%) by affinity chromatography. The peptide substrate GST-Melittin with enterokinase recognition site was completely cleaved by the purified MBP-hEKL at the molar ratio of 1:5000 (enzyme:substrate). Tricine SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the activity of MBP-hEKL was approximately seven times that of bovine enterokinase catalytic subunit (EKMaxTM, Invitrogen). From 1 L flask culture, 206 mg pure active MBP-hEKL was with specific activity of 1.4×104 U/mg.

Centrin: another target of monastrol, an inhibitor of mitotic spindle.

Monastrol, a cell-permeable inhibitor, considered to specifically inhibit kinesin Eg5, can cause mitotic arrest and monopolar spindle formation, thus exhibiting antitumor properties. Centrin, a ubiquitous protein associated with centrosome, plays a critical role in centrosome duplication. Moreover, a correlation between centrosome amplification and cancer has been reported. In this study, it is proposed for the first time that centrin may be another target of the anticancer drug monastrol since monastrol can effectively inhibit not only the growth of the transformed Escherichia coli cells in vivo, but also the Lu(3+)-dependent self-assembly of EoCen in vitro. The two closely related compounds (Compounds 1 and 2) could not take the same effect. Fluorescence titration experiments suggest that four monastrols per protein is the optimum binding pattern, and the binding constants at different temperatures were obtained. Detailed thermodynamic analysis indicates that hydrophobic force is the main acting force between monastrol and centrin, and the extent of monastrol inhibition of centrin self-assembly is highly dependent upon the hydrophobic region of the protein, which is largely exposed by the binding of metal ions.

Tetra-kis[µ-2-(meth-oxy-carbon-yl)benzoato-κ(2) O (1):O (1')]bis-[(acetonitrile-κN)copper(II)](Cu-Cu).

In the binuclear copper(II) title complex, [Cu2(C9H7O4)4(C2H3N)2], an inversion centre is situtated at the mid-point of the Cu-Cu bond. The Cu(II) atom together with its four coordinated O atoms are in a distorted planar square arrangement while the nitro-gen and the other Cu(II) atom are located in apical positions. The whole mol-ecule looks like a paddle-wheel. In the crystal, chains are assembled along the b axis through C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and slipped π-π inter-actions between the benzene rings of neighbouring mol-ecules [centroid-centroid distance = 3.6929 (3) Šand slippage = 0.641 (1) Å].

The biochemical effect of Ser166 phosphorylation on Euplotes octocarinatus centrin.

Centrin is a member of the EF-hand superfamily that is phosphorylated during mitosis and is associated with alterations of contractile fibers. To obtain insight into the structural basis for the functional effects of phosphorylation, we found that the serine residue at position 166 of Euplotes octocarinatus centrin (EoCen) can be phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) in the absence or presence of metal ions using (31)P-NMR spectroscopy. Cations of Ca(2+) and Tb(3+) bound to EoCen resulted in an important structural transition from a closed to an open state. EoCen in both the closed and the open state can be phosphorylated by PKA. After phosphorylation, secondary and tertiary structural changes of EoCen, mainly on its C-terminal domain (C-EoCen), were noted through circular dichroism spectroscopy, native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate fluorescence. After the protein was phosphorylated, the α-helix content and the extent of the exposed hydrophobic surface on EoCen were decreased. Phosphorylated EoCen has higher affinity for the peptide melittin than nonphosphorylated EoCen. In addition, binding of melittin with phosphorylated C-EoCen was enthalpy-driven.

Analysis of lanthanide-induced conformational change of the C-terminal domain on centrin.

Centrin, an EF-hand calcium-binding protein with high homology to calmodulin (CaM), is an essential component of microtubule-organizing center (MTOC). Lanthanide (Ln) ions can improve the stability, increase the amount and enhance the orderliness of microtubules, which are components of cytoskeleton. In order to investigate the structural basis of Ln ions on enhancing orderliness of microtubules, we characterized the binding properties of Ln ions with the isolated C-terminal domain of the Euplotes centrin (C-EoCen). Results suggested that Ln ions may occupy the canonical Ca(2+) binding sites on C-EoCen with middle affinity. Near- and far-UV CD spectra of C-EoCen displayed pronounced differences before and after additing Ln ions. The asymmetry of microenvironments of Phe on C-EoCen was changed. Using 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6- sulfonate (TNS) as probe, Ln ions induced C-EoCen to undergo conformational changes from closed state to open state, resulting in exposing hydrophobic patches to external environments. Ln ions have more obvious effect on the conformation of centrin than Ca(2+). The differences found in the interactions of centrin binding with Ln ions/Ca(2+) maybe provide some insights for structural basis of centrin functions in vivo.

Bis{µ-2-[(2-carbamoylhydrazin-1-ylidene)methyl]phenolato}bis[chloridozinc(II)] methanol disolvate, with non-aromatic-aromatic π-π stacking and N-H...Cl-Zn hydrogen bonding.

Centrosymmetric dimers of Zn(II) with singly deprotonated 2-[(2-carbamoylhydrazin-1-ylidene)methyl]phenolate, [Zn(2)(C(8)H(8)N(3)O(2))Cl(2)]·2CH(3)OH, form an infinite one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chain which is further aggregated by non-aromatic-aromatic π-π stacking and nonclassical N-H...Cl hydrogen bonding.

Critical role of tyrosine 79 in the fluorescence resonance energy transfer and terbium(III)-dependent self-assembly of ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus centrin.

Ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus centrin (EoCen) is a member of the EF-hand superfamily of calcium-binding proteins. It has been proven, using Tb3+ as a fluorescence probe, that EoCen has four calcium-binding sites. The sensitized emission arises from nonradiative energy transfer between the three tyrosine residues (Tyr46, Tyr72, and Tyr79) of the N-terminal half and the bound Tb3+ ions. To determine the most critical of the three tyrosine residues for the process of fluorescence resonance energy transfer, six mutants of the N-terminal domain of EoCen, which contain one (N-Tyr46/N-Tyr72/N-Tyr79) or two (N-Y46F/N-Y72F/N-Y79F) tyrosine residues, were obtained by site-directed mutagenesis. The aromatic residue-sensitized Tb3+ fluorescence of N-Y79F was most affected, displaying a 50% reduction compared with wild-type N-EoCen. Among the tyrosines, Tyr79 is the shortest mean distance from the protein-bound Tb3+ (at sites I/II), as calculated via the Förster mechanism. The steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence parameters of the wild-type N-EoCen and the three double mutants suggest that Tyr79, which exists in a hydrophobic environment, has the highest quantum yield and a relatively long average lifetime. The decay of Tyr79 is the least heterogeneous among the three tyrosine residues. In addition, molecular modeling shows that a critical hydrogen bond is formed between the 4-hydroxyl group of Tyr79 and the oxygen from the side chains of the residue Asn39. Kinetic experiments on tyrosine and Tb3+ fluorescence demonstrate that tyrosine fluorescence quenching is largely due to the self-assembly of EoCen, and that the quenching degrees of the mutants differ. Resonance light scattering and crosslinking analysis carried out on the full-length single mutants (Y46F, Y72F, and Y79F) showed that Tyr79 also plays the most important role in the Tb3+-dependent self-assembly of EoCen among the three tyrosines.

The effect of Trp83 mutant on the properties of CopC.

CopC, a protein involved in copper resistance, is essentially constituted by two sheets forming a Greek key beta barrel motif. The aromatic ring of Trp83, sandwiched between the two beta sheets, has numerous contacts with residues in strands beta and stabilizes the protein fold. In the paper Trp83 was mutated to Leu to study the effect of this mutation on CopC by means of fluorescence spectra and UV spectra. The experiments indicate that the mutation bind Cu(2+) with a decreased formation constant of 3.95 x 10(11) M(-1) in 20 mM PB buffer at pH 7.0; mutagenesis make hydrophobic region to be exposed to an extent. Compared with the wild, thermal stability of the mutant was shown to decrease by stronger fluorescence of TNS at 80 degrees C. The important role of aromatic residue in structure is exhibited.

Lutetium(III)-dependent self-assembly study of ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus centrin.

Ciliate Euplotes octocarinatus centrin (EoCen) is a member of the EF-hand superfamily of calcium-binding proteins, which often associated with the centrosomes and basal bodies. To explore the possible structural role of EoCen, we initiated a physicochemical study of the self-assembly properties of the purified protein in vitro. The native PAGE results indicate that only the integral protein shows multimers in the presence of Lu(3+). The dependence of Lu(3+) induced self-assembly of EoCen on various chemical and physical factors, including temperature, protein concentration, ionic strength and pH, was characterized using resonance light scattering (RLS). Control experiments with different metal ions suggest that Ca(2+) and Lu(3+) bindings to the N-terminal domain of EoCen are all positive to the self-assembly of the protein, and Lu(3+) exhibits the stronger effect, however, Mg(2+) alone cannot take the same effect. The experiments of 2-ptoluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) binding and ionic strength demonstrate that the lutetium(III)-dependent self-assembly is closely related to the exposure of hydrophobic cavity. Control experiment on pH value with EoCen and the fragments of it, N-terminal domain of EoCen (N-EoCen), indicates that the electrostatic effect is of small tendency to be served as the main driving force in the self-assembly of EoCen. The specific oligomerization form of the protein was exhibited by cross-linking experiment.

Investigation on the binding of TNS to centrin, an EF-hand protein.

The interaction between 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) and ciliate Euplotes Octocarinatus centrin (Cen) has been studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. The binding constants of TNS with Cen were measured at different temperature in the 0.01M Hepes, pH 7.4. The binding process is exothermic and involves a positive entropy change. The negative value of enthalpy predominately contributes to the negative free energy of binding between TNS and Cen. The salt (KCl) increases the association constant of TNS and Cen. These results and resonance light scattering experiment suggest that the binding force between TNS and Cen is hydrophobic. The distance (r) between TNS and tryptophan of mutant G115W, which sheds more insight into the binding of TNS to Cen, was determined as 4.85nm based on Förster non-radiative energy transfer theory.

[Spectroscopic study on the binding of Mn(II) to EHPG].

Under the conditions of 0.05 mol x L(-1) Hepes buffer at room temperature and pH 7.4, the interaction of ethylene-N,N'-bis(o-hydroxyphenylglycine) (EHPG) and Mn(II) was investigated by both fluorescence and UV difference spectra. Results showed that the molar ratio of the complex is 1:1. With the addition of manganese ions, the fluorescence peak of EHPG at 310 nm decreased, while the peaks of UV absorptivity at 238 and 291 nm increased. The molar absorptivity of Mn(II) to EHPG at 238 nm is (1.31 +/- 0.02) x 10(4) cm(-1) x mol(-1) L. The disassociation constant for Mn-EHPG was determined to be (1.36 +/- 0.21) x 10(-5). It can be concluded that the binding of Mn(II) to EHPG is not a strongly binding reaction.

Spectral studies on the interaction of yttrium ion with the ligands of phenolic groups: N,N'-Ethylenebis[2-(o-hydroxyphenolic)glycine] and N,N'-di(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid.

The interactions of yttrium with N,N'-ethylenebis[2-(o-hydroxyphenolic)glycine] (EHPG) and N,N'-di(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (HBED) are investigated by using UV difference and fluorescence spectra methods in 0.1M N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulfonic acid (Hepes) at pH 7.4. Yttrium binding produces two UV difference peaks near 240 and 294 nm, respectively, that both are the characteristic of phenolic groups binding to yttrium. The molar extinction coefficient of Y-EHPG and Y-HBED are (15.7 +/- 0.40) x 10(3), (15.8 +/- 0.80) x 10(3)cm(-1)M(-1) at 240 nm, respectively. Using EDTA as a competitor the obtained conditional equilibrium constants of the complexes are logK(Y-EHPG) = 15.07 +/- 0.32 and logK(Y-HBED) = 15.18 +/- 0.26, respectively. However, the effects of yttrium binding on the fluorescence intensity of EHPG and HBED are quite different, the former showing a decrease but the latter an increase.

Metal ions-induced conformational change of P23 by using TNS as fluorescence probe.

In 10 mM N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulfonic acid (Hepes), pH 7.4, 25 degrees C, the conformational change of the truncated form of ciliate Euplotes Octocarinatus centrin (P23) induced by metal ions were investigated using 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) as a probe. The results show that upon metal ions binding, P23 undergo a conformational change and the contributions to the conformational change from the two EF-hands are different, and Tb3+ has more larger influence than Ca2+ with the same concentration metal ions, which provide possible the evidence that the different EF-hands play distinct biological functions. Meanwhile, the conditional binding constants of TNS and Ca2-loaded or Tb2-loaded P23 were obtained, K (Ca2-P23+TNS)=(7.49+/-0.88)x10(5) mol-1 L, K (Tb2-P23+TNS)=(8.24+/-0.49)x10(5) mol-1 L.

Spectral study on the binding of gadolinium ions with apoovotransferrin.

The binding of Gd3+ ion to apoovotransferrin (apoOTf) was monitored by means of UV difference spectra in 0.01M Hepes, pH 7.4 at 25 degrees C. Used 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) as fluorescence probe the conformational changes of protein were studied while gadolinium ions bound to apoOTf. The results show that Gd3+ binding produces peaks at 244 and 294 nm that is the characteristic of binding at the apoOTf specific metal-binding sites. At 244 nm the molar absorptivity of Gd-apoOTf complex is (1.99+/-0.17)x10(4)cm(-1)M(-1). The apparent binding constants for the complexes of Gd3+ with apoovotransferrin are logK(1)=7.61+/-0.14 and logK(2)=4.96+/-0.26. A very large conformational change of apoovotransferrin appears when Gd3+ is bound to the N-terminal binding site. When Gd3+ is bound to C-terminal binding site there is less conformational change.

[Determination of terbium (III) with EHPG-Tb (III) system by fluorescence spectroscopy].

The fluorescence of terbium was sensitized after addition of terbium to the ethylene-N, N'-bis (o-hydioxyphenylglycine) (EHPG) solution. A novel and simple method used for the determination of Tb (III) was developed by means of fluorescence spectroscopy in the presence of EHPG. It was showed that the relative fluorescence intensity is proportional to the concentration of terbium ions, while the molar ratio of terbium to EHPG is less than 1.0 in the system. The maximum wavelengths of excitation and emission are 295 and 547 nm respectively. The optimal range of pH is 7-9. The linear range of detection of the concentration of terbium is from 1.0 x 10(-8) mol x L(-1) to 1.0 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), with a detection limit of 1.18 x 10(-9) mol x L(-1). The relative standard deviation is still within +/-3% in the presence of other lanthanide ions. The method was applied to the determination of the recoveries of synthetic samples and a rare earth sample with satisfactory results.

Synthesis, characterization and properties of chromium(III) complex [Cr(SA)(en)2]Cl.2H2O.

The reaction of chromium(III) chloride, salicylic acid (SA) and ethylenediamine (en) led to the formation of chromium complex [Cr(SA)(en)(2)]Clx2H(2)O(1). The crystal structure belongs to monoclinic system with the space group P2(1), R(1)=0.0358. In this compound, Cr(III) atom is six-coordinated in octahedral coordination geometry by one phenolic hydroxyl oxygen, one carboxylate oxygen from the salicylic acid and four nitrogen atoms from two ethylenediamine molecules, respectively. The transfer manners of Cr(III) from the title compound to the low-molecular-mass chelator, ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and the iron-binding protein apoovotransferrin (apoOTf) were followed by a combination of UV-visible (UV-Vis) and fluorescence spectra in 0.01M Hepes at pH 7.4. The results show that Cr(III) can be transferred from the complex to apoovotransferrin with the retention of the salicylate acted as a synergistic anion.

Characterization of transferrin receptor-dependent GaC-Tf-FeN transport in human leukemic HL60 cells.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the uptake of GaC-Tf-FeN by cells will provide key insights into studies on transferrin-mediated drug delivery. METHODS: The mechanism of GaC-Tf-FeN transporting into and out of HL60 cells has been investigated by comparing transports between GaC-Tf-FeN and apoTf by means of 125I-labeled transferrin. RESULTS: An association constant for GaC-Tf-FeN was 2 times that for apoTf. GaC-Tf-FeN and apoTf of cell surface-bound displayed similar kinetics during the uptake, but the release rates of internalized GaC-Tf-FeN and apoTf from cells were different which showed characteristic disparate. The release continued to occur during the incubation of GaC-Tf-FeN in the presence of nonradioactive apoTf. Neither NaN3 nor NH4Cl could completely block internalization of GaC-Tf-FeN, but they prevented the release of GaC-Tf-FeN from the cells. Excess cold unlabeled apoTf could overcome the block in the release due to NH4Cl but not NaN3. The binding and internalization of GaC-Tf-FeN could be competitively inhibited by nonradioactive apoTf. It implies that both bind to the same receptor on the membrane and the localization of GaC-Tf-FeN resembles that of apoTf inside cells. Pretreated cells with pronase abolished the binding of GaC-Tf-FeN significantly. CONCLUSION: On the basis of these findings, we proposed the "transferrin receptor" for the mechanism of GaC-Tf-FeN transport by HL60 cells.

[Determination on conditional equilibrium constants of the complexes of Gd(III) and Yb(III) with HBED by UV difference spectra].

In 0.01 mol x L(-1) Hepes, pH 7.4 and at room temperature the binding of HBED with Gd(III) or Yb(III) was monitored by UV difference spectrum. The results show that the molar ratio of the complexes is most likely 1 : 1. Gd-HBED or Yb-HBED complex produced peaks at 237 nm and 291 nm. The molar absorptivities of Gd-HBED and Yb-HBED at 237 nm are deltaepsilon(Gd) = (22.52 +/- 0.20) x 10(3) cm(-1) x mol(-1) x L, deltaepsilon(Yb) = (27.15 +/- 0.11) x 10(3) cm(-1) x mol(-1) x L, respectively. The conditional equilibrium constants for the complexes were measured to be lgK(Gd-HBED) = 13.56 +/- 0.28 and lgK(Yb-HBED) = 16.06 +/- 0.03. A linear free energy relationship for the complexes of Yb(III) and Gd(III) has been established by using equilibrium data on 18 complexes. The HBED binding constants for Yb(III) and Gd (III) are in agreement with the linear free energy relationship.

[Synthesis and characterization of complex of Na2[Cu5(Shi)4].4H2O].

The complex, which is formed by reacting copper (II) with salicylhydroxamic acid (H3Shi), has been synthesized. The chemical formula of the complex was determined to be Na2[Cu5(Shi)4].4H2O by elemental analysis and spectrometric titration. The structure and the properties were tentatively investigated by using UV-Vis, IR, NMR, TG, fluorescence, molecular modeling and magnetic susceptibility measurement. The results show that the UV absorption peak corresponding to the pi-->pi* transition shifts towards red 25 nm, the d proton of salicylhydroxamic acid behaves as that of alkyl hydrocarbon in NMR and there is a strong magnetic interaction among the copper (II) ions in the complex.