title: Solvatochromic effect in the optical spectra of calcofluor and its relation to fluorescent staining of yeast cell walls.
abstract: Fluorescence spectral properties of calcofluor (a popular stain used to visualize cell walls of bacteria, yeast and fungi) has been studied. The analysis of calcofluor fluorescence emission spectra measured in a wide range of solvents (including media containing chitin), and in yeast cell suspensions has revealed that the solvatochromic properties of calcofluor ensue essentially from the by solvent-solute hydrogen bonding, or from the hydrogen bonding to cell wall polysaccharides with an eventual contribution of calcofluor aggregation at the cell surface. Preliminary data suggest that calcofluor emission spectra can be employed as a practical marker of variations in the quality of yeast cell wall.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, 12116, Prague, Czech Republic. plasek@karlov.mff.cuni.cz
authors.forename: Jaromír
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plásek
authors.forename: Barbora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hosková
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology*; D012996:Solutions; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D002686:Chitin; C007061:C.I. Fluorescent Brightening Agent 28