Tyrosine Fluorescence and Phosphorescence from Proteins and Polypeptides

Abstract

The fluorescence and phosphorescence of proteins and polypeptides is the sum of the contributions from the three aromatic amino acids tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. The work on protein and polypeptide luminescence prior to 1971 has been reviewed in detail by Longworth. (1) Another fine account of the early work, emphasizing tryptophan and tyrosine, is the monograph by Konev. (2) An excellent review on tyrosine fluorescence in proteins and model peptides, for the period up to 1975, is given by Cowgill. (3) In 1984, Creed (4) reviewed the photophysics and photochemistry of tyrosine and its simple derivatives, including a thorough coverage of steady-state fluorescence and a brief discussion of triplet-state properties, but did not include any work on proteins or polypeptides.