Determination of rate distributions from kinetic experiments

• Published in: Biophysical journal Vol. 61; no. 1; pp. 235 - 245
• Main Authors: Steinbach, P.J., Chu, K., Frauenfelder, H., Johnson, J.B., Lamb, D.C., Nienhaus, G.U., Sauke, T.B., Young, R.D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 1992; Biophysical Society
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Carbon Monoxide - blood; enzymes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hemoglobin; Hemoglobins, Abnormal - metabolism; Humans; Kinetics; Macromolecular Substances; Mathematics; Mechanisms. Catalysis. Electron transfer. Models; Molecular biophysics; Photolysis; Physical chemistry in biology; Protein Binding; Proteins - metabolism; Thermodynamics; Proteins; Myoglobin; Molecular association; Method of maximum entropy; Carbon monoxide; Kinetics; Photochemical reaction; Flash photolysis
• ISSN: 0006-3495; 1542-0086
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-3495(92)81830-1

Rate processes in proteins are often not adequately described by simple exponential kinetics. Instead of modeling the kinetics in the time domain, it can be advantageous to perform a numerical inversion leading to a rate distribution function f(lambda). The features observed in f(lambda) (number, positions, and shapes of peaks) can then be interpreted. We discuss different numerical techniques for obtaining rate distribution functions, with special emphasis on the maximum entropy method. Examples are given for the application of these techniques to flash photolysis data of heme proteins.