Ultrafast excited-state dynamics of tryptophan in water observed by transient absorption spectroscopy

Unraveling the Photoionization Dynamics of Indole in Aqueous and Ethanol Solutions

The photoionization dynamics of indole, the ultraviolet-B chromophore of tryptophan, were explored in water and ethanol using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy with 292, 268, and 200 nm excitation. By studying the femtosecond-to-nanosecond dynamics of indole in two different solvents, a new photophysical model has been generated that explains many previously unsolved facets of indole's complex solution phase photochemistry. Photoionization is only an active pathway for indole in aqueous solution, leading to a reduction in the fluorescence quantum yield in water-rich environments, which is frequently used in biophysical experiments as a key signature of the protein-folded state. Photoionization of indole in aqueous solution was observed for all three pump wavelengths but via two different mechanisms. For 200 nm excitation, electrons are ballistically ejected directly into the bulk solvent. Conversely, 292 and 268 nm excitation populates an admixture of two 1ππ* states, which form a dynamic equilibrium with a tightly bound indole cation and electron-ion pair. The ion pair dissociates on a nanosecond time scale, generating separated solvated electrons and indole cations. The charged species serve as important precursors to triplet indole production and greatly enhance the overall intersystem crossing rate. Our proposed photophysical model for indole in aqueous solution is the most appropriate for describing photoinduced dynamics of tryptophan in polypeptide sequences; tryptophan in aqueous pH 7 solution is zwitterionic, unlike in peptides, and resultantly has a competitive excited state proton transfer pathway that quenches the tryptophan fluorescence.

Environment-Driven Coherent Population Transfer Governs the Ultrafast Photophysics of Tryptophan

By combining UV transient absorption spectroscopy with sub-30-fs temporal resolution and CASPT2/MM calculations, we present a complete description of the primary photoinduced processes in solvated tryptophan. Our results shed new light on the role of the solvent in the relaxation dynamics of tryptophan. We unveil two consecutive coherent population transfer events involving the lowest two singlet excited states: a sub-50-fs nonadiabatic L_a → L_b transfer through a conical intersection and a subsequent 220 fs reverse L_b → L_a transfer due to solvent-assisted adiabatic stabilization of the L_a state. Vibrational fingerprints in the transient absorption spectra provide compelling evidence of a vibronic coherence established between the two excited states from the earliest times after photoexcitation and lasting until the back-transfer to L_a is complete. The demonstration of response to the environment as a driver of coherent population dynamics among the excited states of tryptophan closes the long debate on its solvent-assisted relaxation mechanisms and extends its application as a local probe of protein dynamics to the ultrafast time scales.

Structure and Function of Tryptophan-Tyrosine Dyads in Biomimetic β Hairpins

Tyrosine–tryptophan (YW) dyads are ubiquitous structural motifs in enzymes and play roles in proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) and, possibly, protection from oxidative stress. Here, we describe the function of YW dyads in de novo designed 18-mer, β hairpins. In Peptide M, a YW dyad is formed between W14 and Y5. A UV hypochromic effect and an excitonic Cotton signal are observed, in addition to singlet, excited state (W*) and fluorescence emission spectral shifts. In a second Peptide, Peptide MW, a Y5–W13 dyad is formed diagonally across the strand and distorts the backbone. On a picosecond timescale, the W* excited-state decay kinetics are similar in all peptides but are accelerated relative to amino acids in solution. In Peptide MW, the W* spectrum is consistent with increased conformational flexibility. In Peptide M and MW, the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra obtained after UV photolysis are characteristic of tyrosine and tryptophan radicals at 160 K. Notably, at pH 9, the radical photolysis yield is decreased in Peptide M and MW, compared to that in a tyrosine and tryptophan mixture. This protective effect is not observed at pH 11 and is not observed in peptides containing a tryptophan–histidine dyad or tryptophan alone. The YW dyad protective effect is attributed to an increase in the radical recombination rate. This increase in rate can be facilitated by hydrogen-bonding interactions, which lower the barrier for the PCET reaction at pH 9. These results suggest that the YW dyad structural motif promotes radical quenching under conditions of reactive oxygen stress.

The influence of aqueous solvent on the electronic structure and non-adiabatic dynamics of indole explored by liquid-jet photoelectron spectroscopy

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TRPES) in a liquid micro-jet is implemented here to investigate the influence of water on the electronic structure and dynamics of indole, the chromophore of the amino acid tryptophan.

Ultrafast spectroscopy, superluminescence and theoretical modeling of a two-photon absorbing fluorene derivative

Linear and nonlinear optical properties and photostability of a fluorene derivative are studied and rationalized within essential state models.

Coherent manipulation of free amino acids fluorescence

Coherent manipulation of molecular wavepackets in biomolecules might contribute to the quest towards label-free cellular imaging and protein identification. We report the use of optimally tailored UV laser pulses in pump-probe depletion experiments that selectively enhance or decrease fluorescence between two aromatic amino acids: tryptophan (Trp) and tyrosine (Tyr). Selective fluorescence modulation is achieved with a contrast of ~35%. A neat modification of the time-dependent fluorescence depletion signal of Trp is observed, while the Tyr transient trace remains unchanged. The mechanism invoked for explaining the change of the depletion of Trp is a less efficient coupling between the fluorescing state and the higher non-radiative excited states by the optimally shaped pulse, than by the reference pulse.

Ultrafast site-specific fluorescence quenching of 2-aminopurine in a DNA hairpin studied by femtosecond down-conversion

The ΔP(-)PBS analog of the DNA primary binding sequence (PBS) of the HIV-1 genome labeled at different positions by 2-aminopurine (2-AP) is investigated by a novel femtosecond fluorescence down-conversion experiment with 0.3-ps time resolution. The high signal-to-noise ratio of the fluorescence kinetics makes it possible to reveal four distinct decay times ranging from 0.8 ps to 2-3 ns for all the three labeling positions. This suggests the existence of at least four different quenching conformations of 2-AP with its nearest neighbors, and underscores the structural heterogeneity of the loop region of ΔP(-)PBS. Sub-5-ps components are found and attributed to stacking interactions of 2-AP with the flanking guanine (G) side chains, consistent with the NMR structure of ΔP(-)PBS. The observation of a significant increase of their total amplitude when 2-AP is positioned close to the rigid 3'-half of the G-rich stem gives further support to this assignment. Only a minor portion of conformations involves slow nanosecond collisional quenching.