Ground and Excited State Proton Transfer of the Bioactive Plant Flavonol Robinetin in a Protein Environment: Spectroscopic and Molecular Modeling Studies

Observation of Solvent-Dependence in the Mechanism of Neutral-Catalyzed Isomerization of para-Aminobenzoic Acid Protomers

Proton-transfer reactions are commonplace during electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry experiments and are often responsible for imparting charge to analyte molecules. Multiple protonation-site isomers (protomers) can arise for polyfunctional molecules and these isomers can interconvert via solvent-mediated proton transfer reactions during various stages of the ESI process. Studying the populations and interconversion of protonation isomers provides key insight into the ESI process, ion-molecule interactions, and ion dissociation mechanisms. An archetype molecule to study protomer interconversion fundamentals in this context is para-aminobenzoic acid (pABA), where both the amino and carboxylic acid protomers are typically formed under ESI and the mechanisms for interconversion are still under refinement. Using ion-trap mass spectrometry reaction kinetics (2.5 mTorr, 300 K), this study examines gas-phase interconversion catalysis of pABA protomers by seven neutral species, which are commen solvents and additives used for ESI: water, formic acid, methanol, ethanol, propanol, ammonia, and acetonitrile. Three distinct reaction cases are reported: (i) formic acid, methanol, ethanol, propanol, and ammonia each catalyze the interconversion between the amino and carboxylic acid protomers via a n = 1 solvent-molecule vehicle mechanism; (ii) for water, however, a n = 6 adduct complex is detected and this suggests that the observed protomer interconversion occurs through a Grotthuss mechanism, in accord with literature reports; (iii) acetonitrile inhibits proton transfer by the formation of particularly stable n = 1 and 2 adduct complexes. The second-order rate constants for the protomer interconversion are observed to increase in the following order: H2O < HCO2H < MeOH < EtOH < PrOH < NH3. Potential energy schemes are reported for all neutral-catalyzed proton transfer reactions using the DSD-PBEP86-D3(BJ)/aug-cc-pVDZ level of theory. A central transition state, which connects the protonation site adducts, is shown to be the key rate-limiting step. The energy of this transition state is sensitive to the proton affinity of the neutral solvent, and this is supported by the correlation between the reaction rate and the solvent proton affinity.

Contrasting Thermodynamics Governs the Interaction of 3-Hydroxyflavone with the N-Isoform and B-Isoform of Human Serum Albumin

Herein we report the interaction of 3-hydroxyflavone (3HF) with various isomeric forms of Human Serum Albumin (HSA), namely, the N-isoform (or native HSA at pH 7.4) and the B-isoform (at pH 9.2). Spectroscopic signatures of 3HF reveal that the interaction of 3HF with the N-isoform of HSA results in significant lowering of absorbance of the neutral species (λ_abs ∼ 345 nm) with concomitant increase of the anionic species (λ_abs ∼ 416 nm) whereas interaction with the B-isoform of HSA leads to selective enhancement of absorbance of the anionic species. The fluorescence profile of 3HF displays marked increase of intensity of the proton transferred tautomer (λ_em ∼ 538 nm) as well as the anionic species (λ_em ∼ 501 nm) for both the forms of the protein. However, analyses of the associated thermodynamics through temperature-dependent isothermal titration calorimetric (ITC) indicate that the interaction of 3HF with the N-isoform of HSA is more enthalpic in the lower temperature limit while the entropy contribution predominates in the higher temperature limit. Consequently, the 3HF-HSA (N-isoform at pH 7.4) interaction reveals an unusual thermodynamic signature of a positive heat capacity change (ΔC_p = 3.84 kJ mol^-1K^-1) suggesting the instrumental role of hydrophobic hydration. On the contrary, the 3HF-HSA (B-isoform at pH 9.2) interaction shows qualitatively reverse effect. Consequently, the interaction is found to be characterized by an enthalpy-dominated hydrophobic effect (negative heat capacity change, ΔC_p = -1.15 kJ mol^-1K^-1) which is rationalized on the basis of the nonclassical hydrophobic effect.

Monitoring fluorescence emission behaviors of dietary polyphenols in a serum albumin environment

Kaempferol can be used as a multi-wavelength fluorescent probe due to its dual emission characteristics in a serum albumin environment.

Excited-state intramolecular proton transfer in a bioactive flavonoid provides fluorescence observables for recognizing its engagement with target proteins

Intra- vs. intermolecular hydrogen-bond formation and ESIPT in a bioactive flavonoid result in different emission properties and provide a clue for recognizing its binding to target proteins.

Interactions of 1-hydroxypyrene with bovine serum albumin: insights from multi-spectroscopy, docking and molecular dynamics simulation methods

Combining multi-spectroscopy, docking with MD simulations, the interactions of 1-hydroxypyrene with BSA and the adverse effects on BSA were investigated.