Fluorescent probing of protein bovine serum albumin stability and denaturation using polarity sensitive spectral response of a charge transfer probe.

The polarity sensitive photo-induced intra-molecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence probe (E)-3-(4-methylamino-phenyl)-acrylic acid ethyl ester (MAPAEE) has been used to study the model protein Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) in its native and thermal and urea induced denatured states. The interaction between BSA and the regular surfactant Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS) as well as the biologically relevant steroid-based amphiphile Sodium Deoxycholate (NaDC) has also been very keenly followed using this ICT probe. The variation of micellar properties of both SDS and NaDC with increasing ionic strengths and in presence of the chaotrope urea has also been well documemted by the same probe. Steady-state spectroscopy, FRET, and fluorescence anisotropy measurements have been used to gain better insight into these processes and the molecule MAPAEE to be a full-bodied fluorescent probe for studying such intricate biological systems, their properties and interactions.