Intrinsic Fluorometric Reporters of Pteridine Reductase 1, a Target for Antiparasitic Agents

Abstract

The intrinsic steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence of Leishmania major pteridine reductase 1, a tetrameric protein target for anti-infective agents, is investigated and deciphered in terms of the contributions from populations of the two tryptophans included in each protein monomer. Signals from these local fluorometric reporters contain molecular-level information on the conformational landscape of this protein and on its interaction with a nanomolar pteridinic inhibitor.

Keywords

• proteins
• fluorescence
• pteridin reductase
• protein intrinsic fluorescence
• tryptophan fluorescence