Synthesis and Photochemistry of a New Class of Photocleavable ProteinCross-linking Reagents

Abstract

[eng] A new series of photocleavable protein cross-linking reagents based on bis(maleimide) derivatives of diaryl disulfides have been synthesised. They have been functionalised with cysteineand transient absorption spectra for the photolysis reaction have been recorded by using the pump-probe techniquewith a time resolution of 100 femtoseconds. Photolysis of the disulfide bond yields the corresponding thiyl radicalsin less than a picosecond. There is a significant amount of geminate recombination,but some of the radicalsescape the solvent cage and the quantumyield for photocleavage is 30% in water.