Modification of the intrinsic fluorescence and the biochemical behavior of ATP after irradiation with visible and near-infrared laser light

In this work, the effects of visible (655 nm) and near-infrared (830 nm) light on ATP in solution were examined. The addition of irradiated ATP to the hexokinase reaction caused significant differences in the reaction rates and in the Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters, k_m and v_max. Irradiated ATP cleavage by hexokinase occurred in less time. Changes were wavelength and dose dependent. Excitation of ATP with a 260 nm wavelength ultraviolet light induced a fluorescence emission that was decreased when Mg²⁺ was added due to ion binding of the phosphates, which are the structures that modify the fluorescence produced by the adenine dipoles. The irradiation of this ATP · Mg²⁺ solution using 655 and 830 nm light increased the fluorescence by a possible displacement of Mg²⁺ from the phosphates. In conclusion, visible and near-infrared light modifies the biochemical behavior of ATP in the hexokinase reaction and the fluorescence intensity of the molecule thus altering the Mg²⁺ binding strength to the oxygen atoms in the phosphate group.