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The reaction of hydroxylamine with bacteriorhodopsin studied with mutants that have altered photocycles: Selective reactivity of different photointermediates

Journal Article · · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA)

The reaction of the retinylidene Schiff base in bacteriorhodopsin (bR) to the water-soluble reagent hydroxylamine is enhanced by greater than 2 orders of magnitude under illumination. We have used this reaction as a probe for changes in Schiff base reactivity during the photocycle of wild-type bR and mutants defective in proton transport. We report here that under illumination at pH 6, the D85N mutant has a 20-fold lower rate and the D212N mutant has a greater than 4-fold higher rate for the light-dependent reaction with hydroxylamine compared with wild-type bR. In contrast, the reactivities of wild-type bR and the D96N and T46V mutants are similar. It has been previously shown that the D96N and T46V replacements have no significant effect on the kinetics of M formation but have dramatic effects on rate of the decay of M. We therefore conclude that the hydroxylamine reaction occurs before formation of the M intermediate. Most likely it occurs at the L stage of the cycle and reflects increased water accessibility to the Schiff base due to a light-driven change in protein conformation.

OSTI ID:
5948266
Journal Information:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA), Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA) Vol. 88:6; ISSN PNASA; ISSN 0027-8424
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English