Infrared spectroscopy of phytochrome and model pigments

Fourier-transform infrared difference spectra between the red-absorbing and far-red-absorbing forms of oat phytochrome have been measured in H2O and 2H2O. The difference spectra are compared with infrared spectra of model compounds, i.e. the (5Z,10Z,15Z)- and (5Z,10Z,15E)-isomers of 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-bilindion (Et8-bilindion), 2,3-dihydro-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-bilindion (H2Et8-bilindion), and protonated H2Et8-bilindion in various solvents. The spectra of the model compounds show that only for the protonated forms can clear differences between the two isomers be detected. Since considerable differences are present between the spectra of Et8-bilindion and H2Et8-bilindion, it is concluded that only the latter compound can serve as a model system of phytochrome. The 2H2O effect on the difference spectrum of phytochrome supports the view that the chromophore in red-absorbing phytochrome is protonated and suggests, in addition, that it is also protonated in far-red-absorbing phytochrome. The spectra show that protonated carboxyl groups are influenced. The small amplitudes in the difference spectra exclude major changes of protein secondary structure

Surface science of soft scorpionates

The chemisorption of the soft scorpionate Li[PhTmMe] onto silver and gold surfaces is reported. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy in combination with the Raman analysis of suitable structural models, namely, [Cu(κ3-S,S,S-PhTmMe)(PCy3)], [Ag(κ3-S,S,S-PhTmMe)(PCy3)], [Ag(κ2-S,S-PhTmMe)(PEt3)], and [Au(κ1-S-PhTmMe)(PCy3)], are employed to identify the manner in which this potentially tridentate ligand binds to these surfaces. On colloidal silver surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectra are consistent with PhTmMe binding in a didentate fashion to the surface, holding the aryl group in close proximity to the surface. In contrast, on gold colloid, we observe that the species prefers a monodentate coordination in which the aryl group is not in close proximity to the surface

Domains of the catalytically self-sufficient cytochrome P-450 BM-3. Genetic construction, overexpression, purification and spectroscopic characterization.

1. The gene CYP102 encoding cytochrome P-450 BM-3 and subgenes encoding the cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome P-450 reductase domains have been cloned in Escherichia coli. 2. The protein products of these genes have been overexpressed and purified to homogeneity. 3. The cytochrome P-450 domain is purified in the ferric low-spin state, but is readily converted into the high-spin state by addition of the substrate palmitate (Ks = 1 microM). The cytochrome P-450 reductase domain readily reduces cytochrome c. Mixing the two domains reconstitutes only about one-thousandth of the fatty acid hydroxylase activity associated with the intact cytochrome P-450 BM-3. 4. The X-band e.p.r. spectra of both the cytochrome P-450 domain and intact cytochrome P-450 BM-3 give g-values indicating low-spin ferric haem. The spectra are virtually identical with those of the equivalent form of cytochrome P-450 cam indicating that the haem ligation in cytochrome P-450 BM-3 is identical with that of cytochrome P-450 cam. 5. Resonance Raman spectra of the substrate-free and substrate-bound forms of the cytochrome P-450 domain are given. Spectral differences in comparison with cytochrome P-450 cam may reflect subtle electronic differences between the respective haem environments

Citrate-reduced silver hydrosol modified with omega-mercaptoalkanoic acids self-assembled monolayers as a substrate for surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering. A study with cytochrome c

A new citrate-reduced silver hydrosol coated with omega-mercaptoalkanoic acids (mercaptopropionic and mercaptoundecanoic acids) self-assembled monolayers was prepared and characterized with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The structure and the quality of the coating monolayers are discussed and compared to similar coated and uncoated silver hydrosols previously developed. As an application, the new hydrosol was used as a biocompatible and efficient metal substrate for a surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) study of cytochrome c. The high-quality SERRS spectra reported of cytochrome c (obtained using only 1 muL of a micromolar cytochrome solution) are discussed and compared with data available from literature studies