Abstract: The amino acid composition of the superoxide dismutase(SOD) from camellia pollen was measured and the tryptophan(Trp) residues were modified by using N-bromosuccinimide(NBS). The results show that there are 21 Trp residues in an SOD molecule and seven of which are located on the surface of the enzyme. By researching the fluorescence spectra of the native SOD and the modified SOD, we have found that the emission wavelength of Trp is at 335 nm and the fluorescence intensity will decrease when the enzyme is modified. The results also show that potassium iodide(KI) can significantly quench the fluorescence of the native SOD, but it has a less pronounced effect on the modified enzyme. Glycerin as a surface activation reagent can stabilize the fluorescence of the modified enzyme.

Key words: Superoxide dismutase, Tryptophan residue, Chemical modification, Fluorescence spectrum