New insights into the dimerization and site-specific cooperative interaction of Azure B with model transport proteins by spectroscopic and computational studies.

In the present study, the interaction of model transport proteins Human serum albumin (HSA) and Bovine serum albumin (BSA) with a photoactive dye, Azure B (AZB) were studied by spectroscopic and in silico methods. The absorption spectral behavior of AZB in the presence of varying concentrations of serum albumins (HSA and BSA) revealed the formation of dye aggregates within the protein cavity. The binding parameters computed from the emission quenching data showed that AZB bind to HSA and BSA with significant affinity and it was revealed that both the serum proteins (HSA and BSA) can bind AZB at more than one binding sites having at least one high-affinity binding site with different affinities (non-independent). The existence of static quenching mechanism was further evidenced from the time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopic analysis. Site-competitive replacement experiments with specific site markers showed that AZB binds to site I of HSA and BSA. AutoDock based blind docking approach and molecular dynamics simulation studies were used to analyze the most probable binding location of AZB in HSA and BSA. The AZB induced unfolding of HSA and BSA was established by using absorption, circular dichroism and FT-IR spectral studies. The influence of AZB complexation on the biological function of HSA and BSA was evaluated by probing the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate.