Biophysical characterization of G-protein coupled receptor-peptide ligand binding.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are ubiquitous membrane proteins allowing intracellular responses to extracellular factors that range from photons of light to small molecules to proteins. Despite extensive exploitation of GPCRs as therapeutic targets, biophysical characterization of GPCR-ligand interactions remains challenging. In this minireview, we focus on techniques that have been successfully used for structural and biophysical characterization of peptide ligands binding to their cognate GPCRs.

Photophysical and photochemical studies of chlorophyll a and cobalt(II)tetraphenylporphyrin in poly(L-glutamate)-decylammonium ion complex.

Spectroscopic studies were carried out on chlorophyll a and cobalt(II)tetraphenylporphyrin solubilized in a poly(L-glutamate) (Poly(Glu))-decylammonium chloride (DeAC) complex system, in the presence of methylviologen (MV2+). The cooperative binding occurred between the anionic Poly(Glu) and the cationic DeAC, leading to the formation of micelle-like hydrophobic clusters of DeAC and also the change in conformation of the Poly(Glu) from the random coil to the alpha-helix. All of the absorption spectra, the fluorescence quantum yields and the fluorescence lifetimes indicated the existence of equilibrium between the aggregated biofunctional molecules in the bulk phase and the monomeric species in the complex phase of the Poly(Glu)-DeAC solution.

Visible-light induced hydrogen production using a polypeptide-chlorophyll complex with alpha-helix conformation.

Hydrogen production was accomplished under visible-light irradiation by using a system consisting of a biomolecule (chlorophyll a), methylviologen, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt and Pt-loaded poly(l-glutamate) (Poly(Glu)), in aqueous decylammonium chloride (DeAC) solution. Spectroscopic studies revealed that chlorophyll a is solubilized in the hydrophobic clusters of Pt-loaded Poly(Glu)-decylammonium chloride. In the Poly(Glu)-DeAC complex, the electron transfer occurred between chlorophyll a and methylviologen leading to hydrogen production.