Interaction of a drug molecule with human serum albumin （HSA） is usually studied by fluorescence responses of the ligand or/and the single tryptophan residue （Trp-214） of the protein, but qualitative spectral information may lead to multiple conclusions. In this work, we report a study on the interaction of hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether （HMME） with human serum albumin （HSA）, using the environment-sensitive spectra of HMME and reaction-induced fluorescence response of Trp-214. Particularly, the single kinetic parameter, the linear slope, was derived from the concentration-dependent absorbance or fluorescence of HMME in a certain solvent. A quantitative change in the slope at [HMME]/[HSA] = 1 ： 1 clearly demonstrated a specific binding of HMME to site I. The microenvironment in site I may be comparable to that in DMSO solvent, because of the similarity of the slope. Linear correlation of the fluorescence to the absorbance of HMME in site I indicates that the energy transfer is not responsible for Trp-214 fluorescence quenching but an electron transfer may be possible. In addition, much higher rate observed for the binding of HMME or 2-taurine-substituted HB （THB） with HSA than that of hypocrellin B was due to the electrostatic attraction under physiological condition.
Glycine betaine(GB) is a biologically important small molecule protecting cells,proteins and enzymes in vivo and in vitro under environmental stresses.Recently,it was found that GB could also relax the structure and inactivate the function of phycobiliproteins and phycobilisome(PBS),a kind of supramolecular complexes,in cyanobacterial cells.The molecular mechanisms for the opposite phenomena are quite ambiguous.Taking PBS and a trimeric or monomeric C-phycocyanin(C-PC) as models,the molecular mechanism for the interaction of GB with supra-molecular complexes or nuclear proteins was investigated.The energetic decoupling of PBS components induced by GB suggests that the PBS core-membrane linking polypeptide was the most sensitive site while the rod-core linker was the next.Biochemistry analysis proves that PBS structure was loosened but not dissociated into the components.On the basis of the results and structure knowledge,it was proposed that GB screened the electrostatic attraction of the opposite charges on a linker and a protein leading to a much looser structure.It was observed that GB induced a spectral blue shift for trimeric C-PC but a red shift for a monomeric C-PC(a nuclear protein),which were ascribed to GB's screening of the electrostatic attraction of a linker to a protein and strengthening of the hydrophobic interaction between C-PC monomers.The trimers and monomers' forming of the same products under high concentration of GB was ascribed to a compromise of the opposite interaction forces.
