Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-06-07T11:31:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 brunoguilhermedafonseca.pdf: 3400228 bytes, checksum: 5e2e24048845084805ad960c6e33ecac (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-07-02T13:29:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 brunoguilhermedafonseca.pdf: 3400228 bytes, checksum: 5e2e24048845084805ad960c6e33ecac (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-02T13:29:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 brunoguilhermedafonseca.pdf: 3400228 bytes, checksum: 5e2e24048845084805ad960c6e33ecac (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Neste trabalho investigou-se a adsorção do triptofano (Trp), seus derivados e do 2-mercaptoetanol (MET) na superfície de nanopartículas metálica de prata ou ouro. Utilizou-se como ferramentas para o estudo, as técnicas espectroscópicas de absorção no ultravioleta e visível (UV-VIS), espalhamento Raman normal e intensificado pela superfície (surface-enhanced Raman scattering – SERS) e cálculos teóricos baseados na teoria do funcional da densidade (density functional theory – DFT). A banda da ressonância do plásmon de superfície localizado (localized surface plasmon resonance – LSPR) foi monitorada nos espectros UV-VIS para a investigação das propriedades eletrônicas das nanopartículas metálicas, envolvidas nas interações com os adsorbatos e nas distribuições de tamanhos. Foram sintetizados nanoprismas de prata estabilizados por citrato de sódio em diferentes condições de temperatura, envolvendo múltiplas etapas de crescimento e usando cobre como dopante indutor de geometria. A inclusão de pequena quantidade de cobre, em relação a prata, levou à maior formação de nanoprismas triangulares que o método original. Estas superfícies foram utilizadas nos estudos da adsorção do MET. Os nanoprismas, dopados ou não, mostraram-se inadequados para uso como substrato SERS de outros adsorbatos que não fossem mercaptanas. Sintetizou-se também nanoesferas de prata ou ouro para o estudo da adsorção do Trp e seus derivados em diferentes ambientes químicos. Os nanoprismas foram utilizados para estudos LSPR na presença do MET em diferentes concentrações, além da obtenção do espectro SERS da molécula. Observou-se que a concentração possui papel determinante na auto-organização de uma monocamada molecular, fazendo com que a conformação predominante se altere na superfície metálica. Os cálculos por DFT permitiram a simulação da adsorção do MET em superfície (111) de prata e obtenção de resultados relacionados às estruturas e estabilidades dos confôrmeros. Teoria e experimento mostraram-se em acordo dentro das condições estudadas e permitindo inferir que a ligação de hidrogênio possui um papel chave nas propriedades da monocamada. Estudou-se a adsorção dos isômeros L-Trp e D-Trp e dos peptídeos Ala-Trp, Trp-Gly, pGlu-Lys-Trp-Ala-Pro e Trp-His-Trp-Leu-Gln-Leu através das espectroscopias SERS e UV-VIS. Em prata, os espectros mostraram que os aminoácidos e os dipeptídeos adsorvem preferencialmente através dos grupos carboxilato e amina. Em ouro, a análise espectral permitiu identificar a adsorção das moléculas de Trp via nitrogênio do anel indólico. Os espectros foram obtidos em concentração de 10-3 mol L-1 nos diferentes metais, contudo a adição de HCl permitiu a obtenção de espectros em 10-5 mol L-1. As diferenças entre os espectros em ouro permitiram concluir que o Trp interage mais intensamente com a superfície na presença de HCl. A partir de todos os resultados obtidos, pode-se sugerir que as nanopartículas de ouro mostram-se úteis para o estudo de estruturas mais complexas por diferencia o triptofano adsorvido à superfície de outros presentes na estrutura de interesse. / The adsorption of tryptophan (Trp), his derivatives and 2-mercaptoethanol (MET) on metallic nanoparticle surface had been studied on this thesis. For such investigations it was employed the following tools: ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-VIS), Raman scattering spectroscopy, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and density functional theory. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band was monitored on UV-VIS spectra to study the electronic properties of metallic nanoparticles involved in the interactions with the adsorbates and the size distributions. Silver nanoplates were synthesized in different conditions of temperature, multiple growing steps and using copper as a stabilizing doping. A small addition of copper, compared to silver, increased the triangular nanoprism yield of the original synthesis. These nanoparticles were used for adsorption study of MET. It was synthesized gold and silver nanospheres for studying Trp adsorption and other peptides on different chemical surroundings. The nanoprisms were utilized for LSPR study in the presence of MET at different concentrations, in addition to SERS spectra of this molecule. It has been observed the molecule concentration has a key role for self-assembled monolayer formation, which changes the most common conformer on the metallic surface. DFT calculation allowed us to simulate MET adsorption on silver surface (111) obtaining results related to the structures and stabilities of the conformers. Theory and experiment showed in agreement in the conditions studied and conclude the hydrogen bond is a key player in the monolayer properties. It was studied the adsorption of the isomers, L-Trp and D-Trp, and the peptides, Ala-Trp, Trp-Gly, pGlu-Lys-Trp-Ala-Pro and Trp-His-Trp-Leu-Gln-Leu, through SERS spectroscopy. In silver, the spectra showed amino acids and dipeptides tend to adsorb by the acid and amine group. In gold, an enhancement and shifting of the bands allowed us to identify the adsorption by the indole ring, specifically by the nitrogen atom. The spectra were obtained at concentration of 10-3mol.L-1 on different metals, however in presence of HCl the molecular concentration was 10-5mol.L-1. When HCl was added, the spectra showed a slightly different pattern, which suggest us that, in this condition, Trp interacts stronger to the surface.

The kynurenine pathway produces NAD+ from L-tryptophan. Metabolites known as the kynurenines are produced within the pathway. The effects of the kynurenines have been associated with a number of diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and acute pancreatitis. Kynurenine monooxygenase (KMO) is an enzyme that catalyses the conversion of L-kynurenine to 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine, the downstream product of which is the neurotoxic quinolinic acid. L-kynurenine is positioned at a branching point within the pathway. Metabolism via KMO leads to quinolinic acid production whereas conversion via kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT) produces the neuroprotective kynurenic acid. Inhibition of KMO leads to an increase in kynurenic acid concentration. This has also been shown to ameliorate the symptoms of neurological diseases in a number of animal models as well as to protect against multiple organ dysfunction caused by acute pancreatitis in rodent models. These findings present KMO as a promising drug target. Due to the hydrophobic nature of human KMO (hKMO) it has been necessary to utilise other forms of KMO as models. Past studies have produced crystal structures of a truncated Saccharomyces cerevisiae KMO and of Pseudomonas fluorescens KMO (PfKMO). Previous work in this research group has resulted in the structure of variants of PfKMO bound to either inhibitor molecules or substrate. These structures identified residues involved in substrate binding and the presence of a highly mobile section of the C-terminus, giving rise to open and closed conformations. It was surmised the movement of the C-terminus was dependent upon the presence of substrate and an interactive network between the C-terminus and the rest of the protein. Using improved crystallising conditions high-resolution structures of PfKMO have been produced that allow for further study of residues involved in substrate binding and the interactive network within the C-terminus. The mutants R84K and Y404F showed severely decreased enzyme activity. Crystal structures of these proteins showed disrupted interactions between substrate and active site. These findings underline the importance of residues R84 and Y404 in substrate binding. An H320F mutation gives an analogous active site to hKMO. Crystallographic and kinetic study of this mutant proved very similar to PfKMO, supporting the use of PfKMO as a model for hKMO. Throughout the work each structure had a P21221 space group with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The presence of an open and closed molecule within each structure, including substrate-free molecules refuted the connection between C-terminus and substrate. R386K and E372T mutations were separately introduced in order to interrupt the interactive network. The presence of both open and closed conformations in the structures of R386K and E372T refutes the necessity for the interactive network in C-terminus movement. The data analysed throughout the project suggest simple mobility and thermal motion as the cause of the movement of the C-terminus. This work, in conjunction with kinetic data from the thesis of Helen Bell, presents structural data to characterise the role of binding residues within the active site of KMO as well as the mechanistic role of the C-terminus. It also highlights the importance of certain binding residues and countered the previously held hypotheses surrounding the significance of the C-terminus. The mechanistic role of the C-terminus therefore remains unclear and requires further study.