The residence probability: single molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and reversible geminate recombination

Analytical Form of the Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy Autocorrelation Function in Chemically Reactive Systems

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) applied to chemically reactive systems provides information about chemical reaction equilibrium constants and diffusion coefficients of reactants. These physical quantities are determined from the FCS-measured autocorrelation function, G(t), as a function of time, t. In most of the studied cases, the analytical form of G(t) is well-known for reactions that are much faster than the diffusion time of reactants across the focal volume probed by FCS or when they are much slower than the diffusion time. Here, we develop an analytical form of G(t) for reactions occurring at an intermediate time scale comparable to the diffusion time. G(t) depends on the reaction rates in such reactions. We focus on reversibly binding a fluorescently labeled small molecule to a macromolecule in a diluted solution in thermodynamic equilibrium. Our approach allows the analysis of FCS data over a wide range of diffusion coefficients, reaction rate constants, and brightness levels of fluorescent labels. Our G(t) is valid even when the fluorescent label changes its brightness upon binding. The easy-to-implement analytical form of the autocorrelation function greatly helps experimentalists study chemical reactions, determining the equilibrium constants of reactions and the reaction rates.

Time-dependent enhancement of fluorescence from Rhodobacter capsulatus SB1003 and its critical dependence on concentration temperature and static magnetic field

Continuous exposure of 395 nm light increases the fluorescence emission intensity of photosynthetic purple non-sulphur bacteria, Rhodobacter capsulatus (SB1003). We show that such an increase in fluorescence emission of extracellular pigment complexes (PC) from these photosynthetic bacteria depends on the concentration of the pigment and temperature and can also be modulated by the static magnetic field. The time-dependent enhanced emission disappears either at or below 300 K or below a threshold sample concentration (0.1 mg/ml). The enhanced emission reappears at this condition (T < 278 K) if a static magnetic field (395 mT) is introduced during fluorescence measurement. The time dependence of emission is expressed in terms of a first-order rate constant, k = dF/(Fdt). The sign of k shifts from positive to negative as PC concentration is lowered than a threshold value, implying onset of fluorescence decay (k < 0) rather than amplification (k > 0). At PC concentration higher than a threshold, k becomes negative if the temperature is lowered. But, surprisingly, at low temperature, a static magnetic field reverts the k value to positive. We explain the logical nature of k-switching and photo-dynamics of the aforesaid microbial fluorescence emission by aggregation of protoporphyrin rings present in the PC. While the simultaneous presence of decay in fluorescence and susceptibility to static magnetic field suggests the dominance of triplet states at low temperatures, the process is reversed by SMF-induced removal of spin degeneracy. At higher temperatures, the optical excitability and lack of magnetic response suggest the dominance of singlet states. We propose that the restructuring of the singlet-triplet distribution by intersystem crossing may be the basis of this logical behaviour. In context with microbial function, time-dependent enhancement of fluorescence also implies relay of red photons to the neighbouring microbes not directly exposed to the incident radiation, thus serving as an indirect photosynthetic regulator.