Temperature dependence of protein fluorescence in Rb. sphaeroides reaction centers frozen to 80 K in the dark or on the actinic light as the indicator of protein conformational dynamics

The differences in the average fluorescence lifetime (τav) of tryptophanyls in photosynthetic reaction center (RC) of the purple bacteria Rb. sphaeroides frozen to 80 K in the dark or on the actinic light was found. This difference disappeared during subsequent heating at the temperatures above 250 K. The computer-based calculation of vibration spectra of the tryptophan molecule was performed. As a result, the normal vibrational modes associated with deformational vibrations of the aromatic ring of the tryptophan molecule were found. These deformational vibrations may be active during the nonradiative transition of the molecule from the excited to the ground state. We assume that the differences in τav may be associated with the change in the activity of these vibration modes due to local variations in the microenvironment of tryptophanyls during the light activation.

[Effect of Methylmercury on the Light Dependence Fluorescence Parameters in a Green Alga Chlamydomonas moewusii]

The effect of a dangerous toxic substance, methylmercury, on light dependence curves of chlorophyll fluorescence in Chlamydomonas moewusii was studied. We found low concentration of methylmercury (10(-7) M) to cause a decrease in the relative rate of the non-cyclic electron transport activity of PS 2, a decline in the maximum utilization of light energy (α), and a decline in the saturation light intensity (E(s)). Non-photochemical fluorescence quenching increased after short-term exposure and decreased in the course of prolonged incubation. These parameters were more sensitive to the action of the toxic substance than the widely used parameter F(V)/F(M), which reflects the maximum quantum yield of PS 2. We propose the use of the method of fast measurement of light dependence curves of fluorescence to detect the changes in algal cells at the early stages of exposure to mercury salts.

Temporary Stabilization of Electron on Quinone Acceptor Side of Reaction Centers from the Bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides Wild Type and Mutant SA(L223) Depending on Duration of Light Activation

The dark reduction of photooxidized bacteriochlorophyll (P+) by photoreduced secondary quinone acceptor (QB-) in isolated reaction centers (RC) from the bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides wild type and mutant strain SA(L223) depending on the duration of light activation of RC was studied. The kinetics of the dark reduction of P+ decreased with increasing light duration, which is probably due to conformational changes occurring under prolonged light activation in RC from the wild type bacterium. In RC from bacteria of the mutant strain in which protonatable amino acid Ser L223 near QB is substituted by Ala, the dependence of reduction kinetics of P+ on duration of light was not observed. Such dependence, however, became observable after addition of cryoprotectors, namely glycerol and dimethylsulfoxide, to the RC samples from the mutant strain. It was concluded that substitution of Ser L223 with Ala disturbs the native mechanism of electrostatic stabilization of the electron in the RC quinone acceptor site. At the same time, an additional modification of RC hydrogen bonds by glycerol and dimethylsulfoxide probably includes various possibilities for more effective time delay of the electron on QB.

Slowing of proton transport processes in the structure of bacterial reaction centers and bacteriorhodopsin in the presence of dipyridamole

Dipyridamole, 2,6-bis(diethanolamino)-4,8-dipiperidinopyrimido(5, 4-d)pyrimidine, is employed in clinical practice as a vasodilator. It can also inhibit a specific membrane protein (glycoprotein P) which pumps anticancer drugs out of tumor cells. Dipyridamole (10-4 M) markedly slows down the kinetics of the electrogenic phase of the photoelectric response in Rhodobacter sphaeroides chromatophores. This phase is due to proton transfer from the external medium to the secondary quinone acceptor in the reaction center. In purple membranes of bacterium Halobacterium salinarium containing bacteriorhodopsin dipyridamole (in its charged state) significantly slowed the kinetics of proton transfer from the primary donor, Asp-96 (in membranes from bacteria of wild type), or from the external medium (in D96N mutant) to the Schiff base. It is suggested that dipyridamole can influence the structural-dynamic state of membrane proteins including modification of the structure of their hydrogen bonds involved in proton-transport processes.