A combined fluorescence spectroscopic and electrochemical approach for the study of thioredoxins

Biochemistry. 2011 Jan 11;50(1):17-24. doi: 10.1021/bi1013112. Epub 2010 Dec 10.

Abstract

A new way to study the electrochemical properties of proteins by coupling front-face fluorescence spectroscopy with an optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical cell is presented. First, the approach was examined on the basis of the redox-dependent conformational changes in tryptophans in cytochrome c, and its redox potential was successfully determined. Second, an electrochemically induced fluorescence analysis of periplasmic thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases SoxS and SoxW was performed. SoxS is essential for maintaining chemotrophic sulfur oxidation of Paracoccus pantotrophus active in vivo, while SoxW is not essential. According to the potentiometric redox titration of tryptophan fluorescence, the midpoint potential of SoxS was -342 ± 8 mV versus the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE') and that of SoxW was -256 ± 10 mV versus the SHE'. The fluorescence properties of the thioredoxins are presented and discussed together with the intrinsic fluorescence contribution of the tyrosines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Cytochromes c / chemistry*
  • Electrochemical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Electrochemical Techniques / methods
  • Equipment Design
  • Horses
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxidoreductases / chemistry*
  • Paracoccus pantotrophus / chemistry*
  • Paracoccus pantotrophus / enzymology
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence / instrumentation*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence / methods
  • Thioredoxins / chemistry*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Thioredoxins
  • Cytochromes c
  • Oxidoreductases