R. Das et al., EXCITED-STATE PROTON-TRANSFER REACTION AS A PROBE FOR THE MICROENVIRONMENT OF A BINDING-SITE OF BOVINE SERUM-ALBUMIN - EFFECT OF UREA, Journal of physical chemistry, 100(34), 1996, pp. 14514-14519
The dynamics of proton dissociation from 2-naphthol 6,8-disulfonate (N
SOH) in its first excited singlet state has been studied in the microe
nvironment of the binding sites of a protein, bovine serum albumin (BS
A), using time-resolved fluorimetry. In concentrated salt solution the
dissociation is slowed down as an exponential function of activity of
water in the solution. This kinetic parameter has been used to probe
the microenvironment of the binding sites of bovine serum albumin at w
hich NSOH is bound. The dissociation of the proton in water is a very
fast reaction, K-12' = 7.2 x 10(9) s(-1), but upon binding to BSA the
rate of proton dissociation is slowed down significantly to 2.0 x 10(9
) s(-1). This slow dissociation rate constant suggests a strong intera
ction of the water molecules with the inner walls of the cavity. On ad
dition of urea k(12) increases to 2.5 x 10(9) s(-1) because of increas
ed availability of water molecules to hydrate the dissociated proton.
The ability of the water molecules to hydrate the dissociated proton i
n the site is equivalent to a homogeneous salt solution with activity,
(a)(H2O) congruent to 0.67, but in the presence of urea, the activity
of the water molecules in the binding site is 0.78.