Fluorescence decay time distribution analysis reveals two types of binding sites for 1,8-anilinonaphthalene sulfonate...

Binding of 1,8-anilinonaphthalene sulfonate (1,8-ANS) with native human oxyhemoglobin (Hb) in 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) was studied by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy and by laser spectrofluorimetry with subnanosecond time resolution. The distribution of fluorescence decay times and parameters of two- and three-exponential deconvolution of the fluorescence kinetics of 1,8-ANS in Hb solution demonstrate that the emission at wavelengths lambdaem of 455-600 nm is not single-exponential and has components with mean decay times < 0.5, 3.1-5.5, and 12.4-15.1 nsec with the amplitudes depending on the emission wavelength. Analysis of time-resolved fluorescence spectra shows that the shortest-lived component should be assigned to 1,8-ANS molecules in the aqueous medium, whereas the two longer-lived components are assigned to two types of binding sites for 1,8-ANS in the Hb molecule characterized by different polarity and accessibility to water molecules.