The interaction of riboflavin with a protein isolated from hen's egg white: a spectrofluorimetric study

The interaction of riboflavin with a protein isolated from egg white has been studied spectrofluorimetrically at different pH values. In 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.0; 1:1 complex formation occurs with the association constant Ka = 7.7-10(7) M-1. In the presence of 0.033% sodium dodecyl sulphate, the complex dissociated with a rate constant of 4-10(-2) sec-1 at 29 degrees C. The binding was sensitive to pH and to the antibodies produced against the protein. On lowering the pH from 7 to 4 the binding affinity decreased approximately 100-fold and below pH 4, the binding could not be detected at all. These data, together with those obtained by measuring the fluorescence intensities of riboflavin in presence of N-bromosuccinimide oxidized- and disulphide reduced apoprotein, suggest that carboxyl functions, 1-2 tryptophan residues and 2-3 disulphide bridges are essential for binding. The emission spectra of the protein under different conditions upon excitation at 280 and 295 nm were analyzed to calculate the quantum yield (Q) and the efficiency of energy transfer (e) from tyrosine to tryptophan residues. From these data it was concluded that the energy transfer did not occur with equal efficiency under all conditions and that the tryptophan residues responsible for the riboflavin binding are more accessible to N-bromosuccinimide oxidation than others.