title: Effects of green and red light in βL-crystallin and ovalbumin.
abstract: The effects of visible light on biological systems have been widely studied. In particular, the alterations of blue light on the ocular lens have recently attracted much attention. Here, we present a study about the effects produced by green and red light on two different proteins: βL-crystallin and ovalbumin. Based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), circular dichroism (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and fluorescence emission measurements, we found that both wavelengths induce structural changes in these proteins. We also observed that βL-crystallin aggregates. Our work may advance our understanding about conformational and aggregation processes in proteins subjected to visible radiation and the possible relationship with cataracts. While blue light has been considered the only harmful component in the visible espectrum, our findings show the possibility that lower energy components may be also of some concern.
authors.affiliation: CINVESTAV-Monterrey, PIIT, Nuevo León, 66600, México.
authors.forename: J Horacio
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Álvaro Obregón 64, San Luis Potosí, SLP, 78000, México.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reynaga-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Álvaro Obregón 64, San Luis Potosí, SLP, 78000, México.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-García
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Álvaro Obregón 64, San Luis Potosí, SLP, 78000, México.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montero-Morán
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados (CIMAV, S.C.), Unidad Monterrey, Alianza Norte 202, Nuevo León, 66600, México.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Dominguez
authors.affiliation: CINVESTAV-Monterrey, PIIT, Nuevo León, 66600, México.
authors.forename: Hilda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mercado-Uribe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002417:Cattle; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D003459:Crystallins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011489:Protein Denaturation / Q000528:radiation effects; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; D003459:Crystallins; D010047:Ovalbumin