The structural transformations and photochromic properties of the 7-hydroxyflavylium ion have been investigated by means of the pH jump technique and continuous and pulsed light excitation. The primary photoproduct of UV irradiation of the colorless trans-chalcone form, which is the predominant species at pH 4, is its colorless cis isomer, which rapidly disappears on a time scale of seconds through two competitive processes: i) back-reaction to yield the trans-chalcone form, and ii) formation of the colored flavylium ion and its conjugated quinoidal base. Over minutes or hours (depending on pH), the system reverts quantitatively to its original state. The rate constants and equilibrium constants of the various processes have been obtained and compared with those previously reported for the 4'-hydroxyflavylium and 4',7-dihydroxyflavylium ions. This comparison demonstrates the substituent effect on the rate and equilibrium constants; the effect on the rate constant of the cis-->trans thermal isomerization reaction is particularly strong. For the 7-hydroxyflavylium and 4',7-dihydroxyflavylium ions the pH of the solution plays the role of a tap for the color intensity generated by light excitation. This also means that this system can be viewed as a light-switchable pH indicator.

Fe XAS data were collected on the oxidized and reduced forms of desulforedoxin from Desulfovibrio gigas, the oxidized form of rubredoxin from Clostridium pasteurianum, and the reduced form of rubredoxin from Pyrococcus furiosus. Analysis of these data is consistent with tetrahedral FeS(4) coordination in both oxidation states, and an expansion of the Fe-S distances from 2.27 to 2.33 Angstrom upon reduction. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

The complete amino acid sequence of the unusual diheme split-Soret cytochrome c from the sulphate-reducing Desulfovibrio desulfuricans strain ATCC 27774 has been determined using classical chemical sequencing techniques and mass spectrometry. The 247-residue sequence shows almost no similarity with any other known diheme cytochrome c, but the heme-binding site of the protein is similar to that of the cytochromes c3 from the sulphate reducers. The cytochrome-c-like domain of the protein covers only the C-terminal part of the molecule, and there is evidence for at least one more domain containing four cysteine residues, which might bind another cofactor, possibly a non-heme iron-containing cluster. This domain is similar to a sequence fragment of the genome of Archaeoglobus fulgidus, which confirms the high conservation of the genes involved in sulfate reduction.

The periplasmic [NiFe] hydrogenase isolated from Desulfovibrio (D.) desulfuricans (ATCC 27774) is a heterodimer of a 28 kDa (beta) and a 60 kDa (alpha) subunit. Here we report the complete amino acid sequence of the small (beta) polypeptide chain determined by Edman degradation of proteolytic fragments. Electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry of the native protein confirmed the sequencing results. The sequence is compared with that of D. gigas [NiFe] hydrogenase whose three-dimensional structure has been recently published.

Dodecaheme cytochrome c has been purified from Desulfovibrio (D.) desulfuricans ATCC 27774 cells grown under both nitrate and sulfate-respiring conditions. Therefore, it is likely to play a role in the electron-transfer system of both respiratory chains. Its molecular mass (37768 kDa) was determined by electrospray mass spectrometry. Its first 39 amino acids were sequenced and a motif was found between amino acids 32 and 37 that seems to exist in all the cytochromes of the c(3) type from sulfate-reducing bacteria sequenced at present. The midpoint redox potentials of this cytochrome were estimated to be -68, -120, -248 and -310 mV. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the oxidized cytochrome shows several low-spin components with a g(max) spreading from 3.254 to 2.983. Two crystalline forms were obtained by vapour diffusion from a solution containing 2% PEG 6000 and 0.25-0.75 M acetate buffer pH = 5.5. Both crystals belong to monoclinic space groups: one is P2(1), with a = 61.00, b = 106.19, c = 82.05 A, beta = 103.61 degrees, and the other is C2 with a = 152.17, b = 98.45, c = 89.24 A, beta = 119.18 degrees. Density measurements of the P2(1) crystals suggest that there are two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. Self-rotation function calculations indicate, in both crystal forms, the presence of a non-crystallographic axis perpendicular to the crystallographic twofold axis. This result and the calculated values for the volume per unit molecular weight of the C2 crystals suggest the presence of two or four molecules in the asymmetric unit.

The primary structure of desulfoferrodoxin from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774, a redox protein with two mononuclear iron sites, was determined by automatic Edman degradation and mass spectrometry of the composing peptides. It contains 125 amino acid residues of which five are cysteines. The first four, Cys-9, Cys-12, Cys-28 and Cys-29, are responsible for the binding of Center I which has a distorted tetrahedral sulfur coordination similar to that found in desulforedoxin from D. gigas. The remaining Cys-115 is proposed to be involved in the coordination of Center II, which is probably octahedrally coordinated with predominantly nitrogen/oxygen containing ligands as previously suggested by Mossbauer and Raman spectroscopy.

Crystals of the fully oxidized form of desulfoferrodoxin were obtained by vapor diffusion from a solution containing 20% PEG 4000, 0.1 M HEPES buffer, pH 7.5, and 0.2 M CaCl2. Trigonal and/or rectangular prisms could be obtained, depending on the temperature used for the crystal growth. Trigonal prisms belong to the rhombohedral space group R32, with a = 112.5 A and c = 63.2 A; rectangular prisms belong to the monoclinic space group C2, with a = 77.7 A, b = 80.9 A, c = 53.9 A, and beta = 98.1 degrees. The crystallographic asymmetric unit of the rhombohedral crystal form contains one molecule. There are two molecules in the asymmetric unit of the monoclinic form, in agreement with the self-rotation function.

Crystals of the fully oxidized form of desulfoferrodoxin were obtained by vapor diffusion from a solution containing 20% PEG 4000, 0.1 M HEPES buffer, pH 7.5, and 0.2 M CaCl2. Trigonal and/or rectangular prisms could be obtained, depending on the temperature used for the crystal growth. Trigonal prisms belong to the rhombohedral space group R32, with a = 112.5 Angstrom and c = 63.2 Angstrom; rectangular prisms belong to the monoclinic space group C2, with a = 77.7 Angstrom, b = 80.9 Angstrom, c = 53.9 Angstrom, and beta = 98.1 degrees. The crystallographic asymmetric unit of the rhombohedral crystal form contains one molecule. There are two molecules in the asymmetric unit of the monoclinic form, in agreement with the self-rotation function.

The synthetic compound 3,4'-dimethoxy-7-hydroxyflavylium chloride gives rise, in aqueous solution at moderately acidic pH, to a pH-dependent equilibrium between the flavylium cation, hemiacetal, (Z)-chalcone and a small amount of quinonoidal base. The distribution, as a function of pH, of the molar fractions of the several species present in solution have been calculated on the basis of H-1 NMR and pH jump experiments monitored by stopped-flow and conventional UV-VIS spectrophotometry, and highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The compound shows interesting photochemical properties: (i) at pH 4.0 it presents a photochromic effect that converts (Z)-chalcone into hemiacetal, the reaction being reversible in the dark and (ii) excited-state proton transfer is observed between the flavylium cation and quinonoidal base. An appropriate formalism to quantify the experimental results has been developed. The formalism allows determination of the pH-dependent molar fraction distribution of the several anthocyanin forms present at equilibrium, as well as predicting the distribution of the molar fractions prior to equilibrium.

The energy- and electron-transfer quenching processes of the lowest triplet excited state of biacetyl (2,3-butanedione) imprisoned in a hemicarcerand have been systematically investigated in CH2Cl2 solution at room temperature. Twenty potential quenchers have been used, including ten triplet energy accepters (mostly, aromatic hydrocarbons) and nine electron donors (mostly, aromatic amines). Bimolecular rate constants for the quenching processes were obtained by Stern-Volmer analysis and compared with those found for the quenching of free biacetyl. In the electron-transfer processes, aromatic amines with oxidation potential from +0.015 V (N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine) to +0.83 V (diphenylamine) quench free biacetyl at the diffusion-controlled limit, whereas for imprisoned biacetyl the rate constant decreases (roughly in a linear manner) from 4.0 x 10(8) to 1.2 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) As far as energy-transfer is concerned, the rate constant for the quenching of free biacetyl increases with decreasing Delta G degrees and reaches the diffusion-controlled plateau value (k(q) similar to 10(10) M(-1) s(-1)) for Delta G degrees similar to 0.1 eV, whereas for imprisoned biacetyl a scattered, bell-shaped log k(q) vs Delta G degrees plot is obtained, with a maximum value (similar to 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)) much below the diffusion-controlled limit. The results obtained show that the walls of the hemicarcerand allow only very weak electronic interaction between incarcerated triplet biacetyl and external quenchers. A brief discussion of the results obtained in the light of current energy- and electron-transfer theories is presented.

The formation of a supercomplex between the Ru(bpy)(CN)(4)(2-) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) complex and the [32]-ane-N8H88+ macrocycle (1) has been studied in water and in acetonitrile. In acetonitrile, supercomplex formation is accompanied by (i) large hypsochromic shifts in the absorption spectrum (color changes from deep violet to yellow) and in the emission spectrum, (ii) large anodic shifts in standard oxidation (0.73 V) and reduction (0.37 V) potentials, (iii) typical shifts of H-1-NMR signals for the macrocycle N-bound protons and the complex bipyridine protons, and (iv) a large increase in the MLCT excited-state lifetime of the complex. In water, the spectral shifts and the changes in standard potential are much less pronounced, but supercomplex formation is evidenced by C-13-NMR (and H-1-NMR) and by emission lifetime changes. In both solvents, supercomplex formation is complete in 1:1, 1.0 x 10(-4) M solutions, indicating very large stability constant values. A structure of the supercomplex with the macrocycle bound in a ''boat'' conformation to the four cyanide ligands of the complex, plausible in terms of molecular models, is consistent with all the experimental data. In water, the supercomplex further associates with added negative species containing carboxylate functions, as shown by partial reversal of the lifetime changes. When the added species is also a potential electron transfer quencher (such as, e.g., Rh(dcb)(3)(3-), dcb = 4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine), however, association is not accompanied by quenching. This behavior is attributed to the structure of the supercomplex-quencher adduct, in which the macrocycle acts as an insulating spacer between the excited complex and the quencher.

The primary structure of desulfoferrodoxin from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774, a redox protein with two mononuclear iron sites, was determined by automatic Edman degradation and mass spectrometry of the composing peptides, It contains 125 amino acid residues of which five are cysteines, The first four, Cys-9, Cys-12, Cys-28 and Cys-29, are responsible for the binding of Center I which has a distorted tetrahedral sulfur coordination similar to that found in desulforedoxin from D. gigas, The remaining Cys-115 is proposed to be involved in the coordination of Center II, which is probably octahedrally coordinated with predominantly nitrogen/oxygen containing ligands as previously suggested by Mossbauer and Raman spectroscopy.

Flavodoxin was isolated and purified from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774, a sulfate-reducing organism that can also utilize nitrate as an alternative electron acceptor. Mid-point oxidation-reduction potentials of this flavodoxin were determined by ultraviolet/visible and EPR methods coupled to potentiometric measurements and their pH dependence studied in detail. The redox potential E2, for the couple oxidized/semiquinone forms at pH 6.7 and 25 degrees C is -40 mV, while the value for the semiquinone/hydroquinone forms (E1), at the same pH, -387 mV. E2 varies linearly with pH, while E1 is independent of pH at high values. However, at low pH (< 7.0), this value is less negative, compatible with a redox-linked protonation of the flavodoxin hydroquinone. A comparative study is presented for Desulfovibrio salexigens NCIB 8403 flavodoxin [Moura, I., Moura, J.J.G., Bruschi, M. & LeGall, J. (1980) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 591, 1-8]. The complete primary amino acid sequence was obtained by automated Edman degradation from peptides obtained by chemical and enzymic procedures. The amino acid sequence was confirmed by FAB/MS. Using the previously determined tridimensional structure of Desulfovibrio vulgaris flavodoxin as a model [similarity, 48.6%; Watenpaugh, K.D., Sieker, L.C., Jensen, L.H., LeGall, J. & Dubourdieu M. (1972) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 69, 3185-3188], the tridimensional structure of D. desulfuricans ATCC 27774 flavodoxin was predicted using AMBER force-field calculations.

A c-type monohemic ferricytochrome c552 (11 kDa) was isolated from the soluble extract of a marine denitrifier, Pseudomonas nautica strain 617, grown under anaerobic conditions with nitrate as final electron acceptor. The NH2-terminal sequence and the amino acid composition of the cytochrome were determined. The heme iron of the cytochrome c552 has histidine-methionine as axial ligands, and a pH-dependent mid-point redox potential, equal to 250 mV at pH 7.6. The presence of methionine was demonstrated by visible, EPR and NMR spectroscopies. The assignment of most of the hemic protons was performed applying two-dimensional NOE spectroscopy (NOESY), and the aromatic region was assigned through two-dimensional correlated spectroscopy (COSY) experiments. The EPR spectrum of the oxidised form of the cytochrome c552 is typical of a low-spin ferric heme.

A novel liquid-crystalline polymer, the toluene-4-sulphonyl urethane of hydroxypropylcellulose (TSUHPC), was prepared through chemical modification of hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) of Mw = 60000 g mol−1. The resulting polymer was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing microscopy. It was found that thermotropic liquid crystal phases are formed between about 60°C and 110°C. Concentrated solutions of TSUHPC in acetone and N,N-dimethylacetamide exhibit cholesteric behaviour, at room temperature. When approaching the lyotropic mesophase to solid transition, either by cooling or by solvent evaporation, very interesting arborescent structures of a seemingly fractal nature may be observed, depending on the kinetics of the transition. A banded texture can be observed when the polymer is sheared near the transition to the isotropic phase.

On photolysis of solutions of azulene and uranyl nitrate in alcohols, a dark, amorphous precipitate is formed. Various analytical techniques show that this is a mixture of a uranium salt and an organic component, suggested to be polyazulene. The effects of various parameters on the yield of the product have been studied and it is found that oxygen facilitates the reaction. Electron spin resonance studies show that the product is paramagnetic, in agreement with the established ease of oxidation of polyazulene, and suggest that it is formed via electron transfer from azulene to excited uranyl ion, followed by successive dimerizations and deprotonations of radical cation intermediates.

A soluble [NiFe] hydrogenase has been partially purified from the obligate thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacterium Thermodesulfobacterium mobile. A 17% purification yield was obtained after four chromatographic steps and the hydrogenase presents a purity index (A398 nm/A277 nm) equal to 0.21. This protein appears to be 75% pure on SDS-gel electrophoresis showing two major bands of molecular mass around 55 and 15 kDa. This hydrogenase contains 0.6-0.7 nickel atom and 7-8 iron atoms per mole of enzyme and has a specific activity of 783 in the hydrogen uptake reaction, of 231 in the hydrogen production assay and of 84 in the deuterium-proton exchange reaction. The H2/HD ratio is lower than one in the D2-H+ exchange reaction. The enzyme is very sensitive to NO, relatively little inhibited by CO but unaffected by NO2-. The EPR spectrum of the native hydrogenase shows the presence of a [3Fe-4S] oxidized cluster and of a Ni(III) species.