Open AccessFluorescence Properties of Reduced Flavins and Flavoproteins
Author(s) -
VISSER Antonie J. W. G.,
GHISLA Sandro,
MASSEY Vincent,
MÜLLER Franz,
VEEGER Cees
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1979.tb04210.x
Subject(s) - flavoprotein , flavin group , riboflavin , fluorescence , photochemistry , chemistry , fluorescence anisotropy , biochemistry , optics , enzyme , physics
Fluorescence lifetimes and polarized emission properties of reduced flavin were measured using several model compounds and flavoproteins. Depending on the conditions of solvent and temperature or reduction method the lifetimes vary between 1 and 15 ns. The longer lifetime values are found in several forms of reduced lactate oxidase, in which a good correlation exists between fluorescence intensity and lifetime. In practically all flavoproteins the fluorescence is heterogeneous. Several mechanisms are proposed to explain the observed heterogeneity in lifetimes. The reduced models in glycerol at subzero temperature exhibit high degrees of polarization of the fluorescence, whereas distinct depolarization is encountered in several reduced flavoproteins suggesting a certain mobility of the flavin chromophor.