Exploring the Active Site
Structure of a Photoreceptor
Protein by Raman Optical Activity
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Abstract
We have developed a near-infrared excited Raman optical
activity
(ROA) spectrometer and report the first measurement of near-infrared
ROA spectra of a light-driven proton pump, bacteriorhodopsin. Our
results demonstrate that a near-infrared excitation enables us to
measure the ROA spectra of the chromophore within a protein environment.
Furthermore, the ROA spectra of the <i>all</i>-<i>trans</i>, 15-<i>anti</i> and 13-<i>cis</i>, 15-<i>syn</i> isomers differ significantly, indicating a high structural
sensitivity of the ROA spectra. We therefore expect that future applications
of the near-infrared ROA will allow the experimental elucidation of
the active site structures in other proteins as well as reaction intermediates