Tryptophan properties

Verheyden, S., Sillen, A., Gils, A., Declerck, P. J. and Engelborghs, Y. 2003, Tryptophan properties in fluorescence and functional stability of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. Biophysical Journal 85, 501-510. 

The first observation of the enantioselective properties of an albumin was made in 1958 (28) when it was discovered that the affinity for L-tryptophan exceeded that of the D-enantiomer by a factor of approximately 100. This led to more studies in 1973 of the separation of DL-tryptophan [54-12-6] C22H22N2O2, on BSA immobilized to Sepharose (29). After extensive investigation of the chromatographic behavior of numerous racemic compounds under different mobile-phase conditions, a BSA-SILICA hplc column (Resolvosil-R-BSA, Macherey-Nagel GmvH, Duren, Germany) was... 

DHT may occur over different tryptophan forms in proteins as they quite often have inhomogeneously broadened electronic spectra [31]. A very interesting case of DHT is described between two indole rings in bichromophoric solutes tryptophan dipeptide [32]. Such directed transport allows to correctly interpret spectral properties of dipeptide and other multichromophoric solutes. The theory of inductive-RET in solutions with inhomogeneous spectral broadening is given in Ref. [33]. In more detail, DHT mechanism will be explained in Sect. 2.2 (vide infra). 

The aim of this Chapter is to review a method by which fluorescence properties of organic dyes can, in general, be predicted and understood at a microscopic (nm scale) by interfacing quantum methods with classical molecular dynamics (MD) methods. Some review of our extensive applications [1] of this method to the widely exploited intrinsic fluorescence probe in proteins, the amino acid tryptophan (Trp) will be followed by a discussion of electrochromic membrane voltagesensing dyes. 

The amino acid precursor for 5-HT, L-tryptophan, increases the biosynthesis 5-HT and, therefore, has been investigated for potential antidepressant properties, but with mixed results (Green and Costain, 1979). It was withdrawn in 1990, following a number of fatal cases of eosinophilia myalgia (a disorder characterised by severe muscle pain and abnormally high levels of one type of white blood cell, the eosinophil) in individuals principally using it as a natural hypnotic. 

Investigations of the effects of UV- and hypochlorite-induced oxidative modification of 20 amino acids and human serum albumin (HSA) on their antiradical properties showed unexpected results [36], Seven amino acids (cystine, histidine, methionine, phenylalanine, serine, tryptophan, and tyrosine) and HSA developed ACW following oxidation (see examples in Fig. 14). The fresh (produced in 1998) HSA from Serva had no antiradical capacity, but it acquired this quality during irradiation. The out-of-date HSA sample (Dessau, GDR, 1987, expiration date 7/1/1992) showed a remarkable ACW even in an unirradiated state. 

The synthesis of 5-HT can increase markedly under conditions requiring more neurotransmitter. Plasticity is an important concept in neurobiology. In general, this refers to the ability of neuronal systems to conform to either short- or long-term demands placed upon their activity or function (see Plasticity in Ch. 53). One of the processes contributing to neuronal plasticity is the ability to increase the rate of neurotransmitter synthesis and release in response to increased neuronal activity. Serotonergic neurons have this capability the synthesis of 5-HT from tryptophan is increased in a frequency-dependent manner in response to electrical stimulation of serotonergic soma [7]. The increase in synthesis results from the enhanced conversion of tryptophan to 5-HTP and is dependent on extracellular calcium ion. It is likely that the increased 5-HT synthesis results in part from alterations in the kinetic properties of tryptophan hydroxylase, perhaps due to calcium-dependent phosphorylation of the enzyme by calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II or cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA see Ch. 23). 

Short-term requirements for increases in the synthesis of 5-HT can be met by post-translational processes, such as phosphorylation, that change the kinetic properties of tryptophan hydroxylase without necessitating the synthesis of more molecules of tryptophan hydroxylase. By contrast, situations requiring long-term increases in the synthesis and release of 5-HT result in the synthesis of tryptophan hydroxylase protein. For example, partial but substantial destruction (>60%) of central serotonergic neurons results in an increase in the synthesis of 5-HT in... 

From the fore gut of Laccophilus minutus, a Bacillus pumilus strain was isolated which produced maculosin, the diketopiperazine formed from proline and tyrosine [103] 24, phenyl malonate 25, N-acetylphenylalanine 26, N-acetyl-tryptophane 27 and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid [ 103]. Maculosin which has also been isolated from several microorganisms and sponges shows phytotoxic and cytotoxic properties [103], 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid shows antioxidant properties and was already found in pygidial defensive glands of several dytis-cid beetles. 

K. Ugurbil, A. H. Maki, and R. Bersohn, Study of the triplet state properties of tyrosines and tryptophan in azurins using optically detected magnetic resonance, Biochemistry 16, 901-907 (1977). 

The indole chromophore of tryptophan is the most important tool in studies of intrinsic protein fluorescence. The position of the maximum in the tryptophan fluorescence spectra recorded for proteins varies widely, from 308 nm for azurin to 350-353 nm for peptides lacking an ordered structure and for denatured proteins. (1) This is because of an important property of the fluorescence spectra of tryptophan residues, namely, their high sensitivity to interactions with the environment. Among extrinsic fluorescence probes, aminonaphthalene sulfonates are the most similar to tryptophan in this respect, which accounts for their wide application in protein research.(5)... 

These data may be explained in terms of the above mechanism of the long-wavelength shift of fluorescence spectra for red-edge excitation. The properties of the environment of the tryptophan residues in the proteins studied are such that during the lifetime of the excited state, structural relaxation of the surrounding dipoles fails to proceed. Studies of the dependence of the... 

K. K. Turoverov, I. M. Kuznetsova, and V. N. Zaitsev, The environment of the tryptophan residue in Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin and its fluorescence properties, Biophys. Chem. 23, 79-89 (1985). 

---