Evidence of the Differences Between Human and Bovine Serum Albumin Through the Interaction with Coumarin-343: Experimental (ICD) and Theoretical Studies (DFT and Molecular Docking)

Abstract

Coumarins are known for interacting with proteins and exhibiting diverse biological activities. This study investigates the interaction between coumarin-343 (C343) and human (HSA) and bovine (BSA) serum albumins. Fluorescence spectroscopy and theoretical simulations, including density functional theory (DFT) and molecular docking, were used to analyze the ligand–protein complex formation. The fluorescence quenching data revealed that C343 binds to both proteins, with binding constants of 2.1 × 105 mol·L−1 (HSA) and 6.5 × 105 mol·L−1 (BSA), following a 1:1 stoichiometry. Binding site markers identified drug site I (DS1), located in subdomain IIA, as the preferential binding region for both proteins. Computational results supported these findings, showing high affinity for DS1, with binding energies of −69.02 kcal·mol−1 (HSA) and −67.22 kcal·mol−1 (BSA). While complex formation was confirmed for both proteins, differences emerged in the induced circular dichroism (ICD) signals. HSA displayed a distinct ICD profile compared to BSA in both intensity and absorption maximum. Molecular Docking revealed that the C343 conformation differed between HSA and BSA, explaining the variation in ICD signals. These results highlight the importance of protein structure in modulating ligand interactions and spectral responses.