Photo- and Radiation-Induced One-Electron Oxidation of Methionine in Various Structural Environments Studied by Time-Resolved Techniques

Elucidation of the Photochemical Fate of Methionine in the Presence of Surrogate and Standard Dissolved Organic Matter under Sunlight Irradiation

The abiotic fate of dissolved free amino acids considerably contributes to the cycling of dissolved sulfur and nitrogen in natural aquatic environments. However, the roles of the functional groups of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and the fate of free amino acids under sunlight irradiation in fresh waters are not fully understood. This study aims to elucidate the fate of photolabile methionine in the presence of three CDOM surrogate compounds, i.e., 1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-naphthaldehyde, and umbelliferone, and two standard CDOM by coupling experimental measurement, quantum chemical computations, and kinetic modeling. Results indicate that excited triplet-state CDOM and hydroxyl radicals are able to cleave the C-S bond in methionine, resulting in the formation of smaller amino acids and volatile sulfur-containing compounds. Singlet oxygen forms methionine sulfoxide and methionine sulfone. The distribution of phototransformation products offers an improved understanding of the fate of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compounds and their uptake by microorganisms in natural aquatic environments.

Increased Free Radical Generation during the Interaction of a Quinone-Quinoline Chelator with Metal Ions and the Enhancing Effect of Light

Schiff bases and similar molecules forming metal complexes may cause redox effects, which may also be influenced by light. Anthraquinones such as doxorubicin and idarubicin are widely used antitumor agents, which can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), stimulated by both the presence of iron and copper ions and also by light. The generated ROS can cause DNA scission, cell membrane oxidation, and many other toxic effects. The redox activity of the quinone-quinoline chelator 2-phenyl-4-(butylamino)naphtho [2,3-h]quinoline-7,12-dione (Q1) was investigated in the presence of iron, copper, and zinc. The influence of light in these interactions was also examined. The chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods were used to elucidate the molecular changes and ROS generation effects of the Q1 metal interactions. A model electron transfer reaction system between 1,4-dihydropyridine and Q1 was utilized to demonstrate that the chelate complexes of Q1 with both Fe(III) and Cu(II) ions were more redox active than Q1 itself. Similarly, CIDNP and NMR data showed that the concentration dependence of the free radicals yield is much higher in the presence of Fe(III) and Cu(II) ions, in comparison to Zn(II), and also that it increased in the presence of light. These findings underline the role of transition metal ions and Q1 in cyclic redox chain reactions and increase the prospect of the development of copper- and iron-based chelating agents, including Q1 and its derivatives, for anticancer therapy. Furthermore, these findings also signify the effect of light on enhancing ROS formation by Q1 and the prospect of utilizing such information for designing target specific anticancer drugs for photodynamic therapy.

Does the presence of ground state complex between a PR-10 protein and a sensitizer affect the mechanism of sensitized photo-oxidation?

The mechanisms of one-electron protein oxidation are complicated and still not well-understood. In this work, we investigated the reaction of sensitized photo-oxidation using carboxybenzophenone (CB) as a sensitizer and a PR-10 protein (MtN13) as a quencher, which is intrinsically complicated due to the complex structure of the protein and multiple possibilities of CB attack. To predict and examine the possible reactions precisely, the 3D structure of the MtN13 protein was taken into account. Our crystallographic studies revealed a specific binding of the CB molecule in the protein's hydrophobic cavity, while mass spectrometry identified the amino acid residues (Met, Tyr, Asp and Phe) creating adducts with the sensitizer, thus indicating the sites of ³CB* quenching. In addition, protein aggregation was also observed. The detailed mechanisms of CB quenching by the MtN13 molecule were elucidated by an analysis of transient products by means of time-resolved spectroscopy. The investigation of the transient and stable products formed during the protein photo-oxidation was based on the data obtained from HPLC-MS analysis of model compounds, single amino acids and dipeptides. Our proposed mechanisms of sensitized protein photo-oxidation emphasize the role of a ground state complex between the protein and the sensitizer and indicate several new and specific products arising as a result of one-electron oxidation. Based on the analysis of the transient and stable products, we have demonstrated the influence of neighboring groups, especially in the case of Tyr oxidation, where the tyrosyl radical can be formed via a direct electron transfer from Tyr to CB* or via an intramolecular electron transfer from Tyr to Met radical cation Met > S^●+ or thiyl radical CysS^● from neighboring oxidized groups.

Sensitized photoreduction of selected benzophenones. Mass spectrometry studies of radical cross-coupling reactions

The hydrogen atom transfer reaction (HAT) between selected benzophenones (benzophenone BP, 3-carboxybenzophenone 3CB, and 4-carboxybenzophenone 4CB) and 2-propanol was reinvestigated focusing on stable product analysis. As expected, the primary species of these HAT's are the respective diphenyl and dimethyl ketyl radicals that eventually undergo several radical coupling reactions leading to stable photoproducts. However, the mechanisms of these free radical reactions remain unclear and open to question. In this report, we focus on the detailed analysis of the stable photoproducts of these reactions using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS). Products of photopinacolization (benzpinacol and two diastereoisomers of 4CB and 3CB dimers) and isomeric radical cross-coupling adducts of respective diphenyl and dimethyl ketyl radicals were separated chromatographically, and their structures were determined by high-resolution MS/MS, and the mechanisms of the reactions are discussed.

Evaluation of Hydroxyl Radical Reactivity by Thioether Group Proximity in Model Peptide Backbone: Methionine versus S-Methyl-Cysteine

Hydroxyl radicals (HO^•) have long been regarded as a major source of cellular damage. The reaction of HO^• with methionine residues (Met) in peptides and proteins is a complex multistep process. Although the reaction mechanism has been intensively studied, some essential parts remain unsolved. In the present study we examined the reaction of HO^• generated by ionizing radiation in aqueous solutions under anoxic conditions with two compounds representing the simplest model peptide backbone CH₃C(O)NHCHXC(O)NHCH₃, where X = CH₂CH₂SCH₃ or CH₂SCH₃, i.e., the Met derivative in comparison with the cysteine-methylated derivative. We performed the identification and quantification of transient species by pulse radiolysis and final products by LC-MS and high-resolution MS/MS after γ-radiolysis. The results allowed us to draw for each compound a mechanistic scheme. The fate of the initial one-electron oxidation at the sulfur atom depends on its distance from the peptide backbone and involves transient species of five-membered and/or six-membered ring formations with different heteroatoms present in the backbone as well as quite different rates of deprotonation in forming α-(alkylthio)alkyl radicals.

Biomimetic Radical Chemistry and Applications

Some of the most interesting aspects of free radical chemistry that emerged in the last two decades are radical enzyme mechanisms, cell signaling cascades, antioxidant activities, and free radical-induced damage of biomolecules. In addition, identification of modified biomolecules opened the way for the evaluation of in vivo damage through biomarkers. When studying free radical-based chemical mechanisms, it is very important to establish biomimetic models, which allow the experiments to be performed in a simplified environment, but suitably designed to be in strict connection with cellular conditions. The 28 papers (11 reviews and 17 articles) published in the two Special Issues of Molecules on "Biomimetic Radical Chemistry and Applications (2019 and 2021)" show a remarkable range of research in this area. The biomimetic approach is presented with new insights and reviews of the current knowledge in the field of radical-based processes relevant to health, such as biomolecular damages and repair, signaling and biomarkers, biotechnological applications, and novel synthetic approaches.